Abstract: An electrical socket with a safety feature that prevents accidental shock due to insertion of an object or objects other than a typical electrical plug configuration. The socket ‘hot’ side conductor is not energized if an object is inserted into any single plug tang location, or if multiple objects are inserted independently, in any combination, of the socket plug tang locations.

Abstract: A tag has an in-mold graphic plate portion with a slot therein. Extending outwardly from the plate portion is an extension or tongue that has a neck and locking tip. The locking tip has an aperture adapted to receive a lock. The neck of the tongue is flexible such that the locking tip is received by and extends through the slot.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting maintenance such as software upgrades in components and nodes within a computer network while maintaining the functionality of the computer network in accordance with prescribed performance parameters. A balance is achieved between the rate of performing a desired system upgrade and the necessary performance parameters by empirically determining anticipated system loads and selecting the maximum number of components that can be upgraded simultaneously while meeting the anticipated loads. Provisions are made for the staggering of components through the upgrade process and for the return of components to active service in the computer network in response to unanticipated load spikes. Validation of successful upgrades is also provided.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for overcoming errors in speech recognition systems. For example, a technique for processing acoustic data in accordance with a speech recognition system comprises the following steps/operations. Acoustic data is obtained in association with the speech recognition system. The acoustic data is recorded using a combination of a first buffer area and a second buffer area, such that the recording of the acoustic data using the combination of the two buffer areas at least substantially minimizes one or more truncation errors associated with operation of the speech recognition system.

Abstract: A tag has an in-mold graphic plate portion with a slot therein. Extending outwardly from the plate portion is an extension or tongue that has a neck and locking tip. The locking tip has an aperture adapted to receive a lock. The neck of the tongue is flexible such that the locking tip is received by and extends through the slot.

Abstract: A switch assembly including a mounting base and a switch housing including a non-contact switch. The switch assembly also include a calibration feature that is movable between a first position and a second position. The switch assembly may be positioned relative to a target with the calibration feature in the first position. The calibration feature may then be retracted to a second position in order to provide an airspace between the switch housing an a target.

Abstract: A method for managing spoken language interface data structures and collections of user interface service engines in a spoken language dialog manager in a personal speech assistant. Interfaces, designed as part of applications, may by these methods be added to or removed from the set of such interfaces used by a dialog manager. Interface service engines, required by new applications, but not already present in the dialog manager, may be made available to the new and subsequently added applications.

Abstract: A Personal Speech Assistant (PSA) is a computing apparatus which provides a spoken language interface to another apparatus to which it is attached by supporting execution of a conversational dialog manager and its supporting service engines. In operation, a PSA is connected to a device which provides some service to a user. Any “appliance” is a candidate for enhancement with the PSA. Devices such as, for example, video cassette recorders (VCRs) or Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), which offer rich, but frequently difficult interfaces, may be made more useful by the integration of a PSA according to the invention. It is a preferred feature of a dialog manager used by the PSA that the user interface properties, in terms of the vocabulary the device understands, the informative prompts it provides, and other aspects of its conversational behavior, are all easily modified to correspond to the preferences or limitations of the user.

Abstract: A spoken language interface between a user and at least one application or system includes a dialog manager operatively coupled to the application or system, an audio input system, an audio output system, a speech decoding engine and a speech synthesizing engine; and at least one user interface data set operatively coupled to the dialog manager, the user interface data set representing spoken language interface elements and data recognizable by the application. The dialog manager enables connection between the input audio system and the speech decoding engine such that a spoken utterance provided by the user is provided from the input audio system to the speech decoding engine. The speech decoding engine decodes the spoken utterance to generate a decoded output which is returned to the dialog manager.

Abstract: A fluid evacuation and expulsion system, having a tank having a tank port, a top, a bottom, and an internal volume defined between the top and bottom, also having a pump having a pump inlet and pump outlet, and having a valve assembly having an actuation lever. A conduit is connected to the tank bottom for allowing fluids to enter and leave the tank. The valve assembly is connected to the pump inlet and pump outlet, as well as the tank port and an environment port. The actuation lever of the valve assembly manipulates four ganged valves which allow the system select between an evacuation mode wherein air is pumped from the tank through the tank port to draw fluids into the tank through the conduit, and an expulsion mode wherein air is pumped into the tank to expel fluids from the tank through the conduit.

Abstract: A computer network for gathering information and reaching consensus in a multi-user collaborative environment for Process Safety Management (PSM). Comments and ideas are gathered simultaneously from team members in a meeting, using the network. Apparatus is provided for storing these inputs and retrieving them from a database, and for printing them in predefined formats. The system provides for team members to submit their ideas anonymously in a meeting so that people uncomfortable with speaking in front of a group can freely share their ideas. The system automatically records input so ideas are not lost or misrecorded. The input is converted from the first database into a format for word processing to produce the required documents, into a format for a project management system to schedule the work to complete PSM documentation, and into a format to produce flow changes to the process being analyzed.

Abstract: A computer network for gathering information and reaching consensus in a multi-user collaborative environment for Process Safety Management (PSM). Comments and ideas are gathered simultaneously from team members in a meeting, using the network. Apparatus is provided for storing these inputs and retrieving them from a database, and for printing them in predefined formats. The system provides for team members to submit their ideas anonymously in a meeting so that people uncomfortable with speaking in front of a group can freely share their ideas. The system automatically records input so ideas are not lost or misrecorded. The input is converted from the first database into a format for word processing to produce the required documents, into a format for a project management system to schedule the work to complete PSM documentation, and into a format to produce flow changes to the process being analyzed.

Abstract: Headwear (2) for use in applying cold to a person's scalp, which headwear (2) is flat when it is not being worn, is foldable around a person's head (4) when it is being worn, and is securable on the person's head (4), by a plurality of fastener means (6), the headwear (2) being such that the folding nature of the headwear (2) and the plurality of fastener means (6) enables the headwear (2) to be folded as a close fit on the person's head (4) irrespective of different persons with different shapes and sizes of head, and the headwear (2) being such that is has double skinned portions (8, 10) which contain a cold retaining medium which gives up its cold to the person's scalp when the headwear (2) is being worn.

Abstract: An automotive brake switch including a body having a linearly traveling profiled carriage which makes or breaks various circuits as the carriage travels. The switch includes a plunger which, at first, is free to move relative to the carriage, but upon installation is locked to the carriage. A rotatable lever arm holds the carriage in a desired neutral operating position, and maintains free movement of the plunger relative to the carriage. When the switch body is installed, the plunger comes into contact with an arm of the brake which causes the brake to move against the force from a spring to assume a desired adjustment position relative to the carriage for proper operation. The rotatable lever arm is turned to lock the plunger to the carriage and to free the carriage for travel within the body. Thereafter, the carriage responds to movement of the plunger caused by the brake arm to make and break circuits in the normal fashion to control the operation of cruise control, stop lamps, etc.

Abstract: A digital data radio receiver and method evaluates a data signal preamble received on an antenna to determine whether the antenna should receive the data signal following the preamble. The receiver determines frequency offsets from a desired frequency for each symbol in a block of symbols in the preamble, determines the variance of the frequency offsets, determines the average magnitude of the symbols in the block of symbols, where the determination of average magnitude may be performed in parallel with the determination of variance of the frequency offsets, and evaluates the variance and the average magnitude for the block of symbols to determine whether the preamble is actually noise and to assess reception quality at the antenna. In a two antenna diversity receiver system, these steps may be performed first on a block of symbols received at one antenna and then performed on the next block of symbols received at another antenna.

Abstract: A computer network for gathering information and reaching consensus in a multi-user collaborative environment for Process Safety Management (PSM). Comments and ideas are gathered simultaneously from team members in a meeting, using the network. Apparatus is provided for storing these inputs and retrieving them from a database, and for printing them in predefined formats. The system provides for team members to submit their ideas-anonymously in a meeting so that people uncomfortable with speaking in front of a group can freely share their ideas. The system automatically records input so ideas are not lost or misrecorded. The input is converted from the first database into a format for word processing to produce the required documents, into a format for a project management system to schedule the work to complete PSM documentation, and into a format to produce flow charges of the process being analyzed.

Abstract: A system for selecting either 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive in a vehicle which includes an actuator mounted on the differential housing of the vehicle drive system for engaging and disengaging the externally splined ends of opposing shafts in response to a signal switched from a power source in the vehicle cab. The actuator converts the rotary output of a DC motor to linear output of a carrier-mounted lead screw and drive nut which is transferred to a plunger which moves an internally splined ring between the opposing splined shaft ends.

Abstract: Scaling of video is performed using area weighted averaging of input pixels to calculate coefficients to multiply with luminescence and crominence of input pixels. Such coefficients are produced for both the vertical and horizontal scaling directions of the input video stream. When scaling down or scaling up, scaling is first performed in the vertical direction to produce partially scaled pixels, which are then utilized for scaling in the horizontal direction. When scaling up, a pre-interpolation or pre-replication process is utilized to double the inputted pixel grid which doubled pixel grid is then utilized to scale down to the desired pixel grid size, which is greater than the originally inputted pixel grid size.

Abstract: An automotive inertia switch including a switch body which houses a movable plunger weight; a button guide structure with a cylindrical nest, a switch reset button, a wiper contact, and a compression spring. Switching action is caused by the vertical movement of the weight. In an untripped state, a tip of the weight is spring biased by the compression spring into the nest. In response to a rapid change in the acceleration of the vehicle, e.g. a crash, the tip is dislodged from the nest and the weight is forced by the spring to move upwardly against the button. Vertical movement of the weight causes the wiper contact, which is in pressing engagement with the opposite end of the weight, to move between switching positions to make and break electrical connection of a common terminal to the fuel pump or a switch status indicator. The tripped status of the switch may be indicated by the switch status indicator, or by visual observation of the outward projection of the button.

Abstract: A tag has an in-mold graphic plate portion with a slot therein. Extending outwardly from the plate portion is an extension or tongue that has a neck and locking tip. The locking tip has an aperture adapted to receive a lock. The neck of the tongue is flexible such that the locking tip is received by and extends through the slot.