Abstract: An operator provides services to a population of client device, such as mobile communication devices, including search services accessed via an operator portal. A search gateway places a search object, in which user privacy is protected, into a distributed, transactional object (tuple) space. Resolvers monitoring the space read the search descriptors and coordinate an external search to be performed with result objects placed back in the space. The gateway removes the search result objects from the space, matching them with the user search for reporting to a user of the client device. Thereby, an increased amount of content is accessible across a distributed system.

Abstract: The described aspects relate to methods and apparatus for widget intercommunication in a wireless communication environment. In particular the described aspects relate to dynamically exchanging content between application graphical user interface widgets executed on a widget runtime model.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of discovering and managing electronic communities include placing data tuples into a tuple space, discovering the attributes of the data tuple via a community formation tuple, and generating one or more community tuples based on the discovered relationships.

Abstract: A service object user interface responds to a number of different types of client devices, especially handheld communication devices, by providing tuple space interface attributes in a service tuple. Thereby, dynamically changing services (e.g., search engines, online shopping, media content selection, etc.) and a population of client devices can be accommodated even within a loosely coupled, distributed system. By facilitating interfacing within tuple space, inconvenient configuring at the client device is avoided, expanding computer platform independence to encompass alternative user interfaces based upon JAVA™ classes, uiOne™ trigs, FLASH multimedia, and/or other evolving protocols.

Abstract: A method for predicting a future occurrence of an event involves obtaining a history of prior occurrences of the event. A plurality of variables is created that are associated with the event. Weights are assigned to each variable. An artificial neural network is accessed and trained with the history of past occurrences of the event by comparing an output of the artificial neural network to the past occurrence of the event. The weights are adjusted until the output corresponds to the past occurrence of the event.

Abstract: A method for predicting a future occurrence of an event involves obtaining a history of prior occurrences of the event. A plurality of variables is created that are associated with the event. Weights are assigned to each variable. An artificial neural network is accessed and trained with the history of past occurrences of the event by comparing an output of the artificial neural network to the past occurrence of the event. The weights are adjusted until the output corresponds to the past occurrence of the event.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of reducing microbial levels in the interior of a building, including vaporizing an anti-microbial essential oil to produce vaporized anti-microbial essential oil, entraining the vaporized anti-microbial essential oil in an air stream, and directing the air stream into the air ducts of the building and then into an interior air supply of the building.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of reducing microbial levels in the interior of a building, including vaporizing an anti-microbial essential oil to produce vaporized anti-microbial essential oil, entraining the vaporized anti-microbial essential oil in an air stream, and directing the air stream into the air ducts of the building and then into an interior air supply of the building.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a pixel for tolerable variation from a corresponding selected pixel in a master image comprises establishing a data word of which the bits each indicate whether or not all the master image pixels in the neighborhood of the selected pixel all have values (i.e. brightness values) within a respective range. A data word representing the value of the inspected pixel is compared simultaneously with the ranges of values associated with the bits of the data word, which provides gating for the comparisons.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a pixel for tolerable variation from a corresponding selected pixel in a master image comprises establishing a data word of which the bits each indicate whether or not all the master image pixels in the neighborhood of the selected pixel all have values (i.e. brightness values) within a respective range. A data word representing the value of the inspected pixel is compared simultaneously with the ranges of values associated with the bits of the data word, which provides gating for the comparisons.

Abstract: In this invention an extrusion aid comprises a strip of material which is desirably a low friction material such as a polymer, but nevertheless sufficiently rigid to deform the flexible wall of a tube containing paste or fluid contents, and the strip is provided with an elongate slot which is wider at its ends than intermediate its ends, and may terminate in part-circular walls. If the part-circular walls are spaced apart to accommodate the edges of a tube after extrusion takes place, the extrusion aid will be less likely to grip those edges and furthermore the aid will be easily positioned over the tube.

Abstract: An interface for connecting data terminal equipment (DTE) to data communication equipment (DCE) is provided which requires no modification to an existing and widely accepted DCE connector and yet which permits data communication according to more recently adopted functional interface standards through the same DCE connector. Specifically, in a single 25-position interconnection configuration for DTE, an interface is provided which supports (1) the EIA Standard RS-232C interface with unbalanced generators and receivers at generally established RS-232C pin assignments at a DCE terminal junction; (2) an RS-449-type interface with balanced generators and receivers with pin assignments at locations incapable of being confused with RS-232C interface connections at a DCE terminal junction; and (3) an RS-449-like interface with balanced generators and receivers in a variety of multiple-point applications.

Abstract: A sailing vessel having a mast upstanding from the hull and connected to be free to tilt on the hull about a longitudinal axis, and a keel depending from the hull and also connected to be free to tilt on the hull about a longitudinal axis, the mast and keel being interconnected to cause rotation about the axes in the same sense, the keel having sufficient weight to hold the mast upright but allowing it to deflect leeward about the hull under wind pressure, the keel balancing the leeward deflection by tilt to windward without necessarily deflecting the hull.