Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to data communication applications is disclosed. According to the method, the DNS names of the servers of the data communication applications are identified. The identified DNS names are used to determine the IP addresses of the servers. Furthermore, the identified IP addresses are used to control access to the data communication applications for the requests going to the servers of the data communication applications.

Abstract: An ironing board (1) comprises a fan (20) for generating an airflow and a controlling unit (40) for controlling a mode in which the fan (20) is driven during operation of the ironing board (1). When there is a need for obtaining an airflow through an item to be ironed, the controlling unit (40) puts the fan (20) to a mode in which it is driven at a normal operating speed. However, when there is no such need, the controlling unit (40) puts the fan (20) to a mode in which it is driven at a speed which is lower than a normal operating speed. In this way, it is achieved that the fan (20) is continuously driven during operation of the ironing board (1), also in case an ironing process performed with the help of the ironing board (1) does not require an operation of the fan (20). As an advantageous result, condensation of steam inside the ironing board (1) is prevented.

Abstract: An ironing system (500) comprises an iron (510) with a soleplate (512) comprising an induction heatable material. The ironing system (500) further comprises a unit (520, 530) that includes at least one induction coil (540) and a device (550). The induction coil (540) charges the iron (510) whereas the device (550) detects the temperature of the soleplate (512) by sensing a change in current flowing through the induction coil (540) or by sensing a change in voltage across the induction coil (540). The current or voltage changes as self inductance of the induction coil (540) changes with magnetic permeability of the soleplate (512) as a function of its temperature. The device (550) switches the induction coil (540) on or off depending on the detected temperature.

Abstract: A soleplate (101) comprises a metallic layer (102), a non-ferromagnetic layer (104) and a ferromagnetic layer (103) sandwiched between the metallic layer (102) and non-ferromagnetic layer (104). The soleplate (101) is used in an induction heating-based cordless iron (100). The electromagnetic field from an induction coil (109) located in a stand (108), where the iron rests and gets charged, can pass beyond the non-ferromagnetic layer (104) and heat the ferromagnetic layer (103) efficiently. The non-ferromagnetic layer (104) that is forming an ironing plate ensures a uniform heat transfer to the metallic layer (102) for good steaming performance for effective cordless ironing.

Abstract: An icemaker includes a body including an ice mode for receiving water and freezing water to ice. The ice mold has a first side surface, a second side surface and an arcuate bottom surface indisposed between the first side surface and the second side surface. An ice ejector including an ejector member is rotatably connected to the body. The ice ejector defines an axis of rotation. A drive mechanism is operably coupled to the ice ejector. The drive mechanism is configured to reversibly rotate the ice ejector between a first position and a second position. A first cover is fixedly connected to the body for at least partially covering a front portion of the ice mold. A second cover is connected to one of the ice ejector and the body. The second cover is configured to reversibly rotate with the ice ejector between the first position and a third position. The second cover at least partially covers a back portion of the ice mold at the first position.

Abstract: A steam ironing system (2) comprises a steam iron (10) and a boiler system (25) having a boiler (30) for generating steam, wherein the steam iron (10) and the boiler (30) are connected to each other through a steam hose (35). During operation of the boiler system (25), scale is formed in the boiler (30). For the purpose of removing the scale from the boiler (30), a rinsing process is performed on the boiler system (25) at regular intervals. During the rinsing process, a rinse valve (38) connected to a water outlet (37) positioned at a bottom of the boiler (30) is opened, and water is discharged from the boiler (30) to a rinse container (55). In the process, scale particles are carried along with the flow of water. Preferably, pressure is built up inside the boiler (30) prior to opening the rinse valve (38), so that the water is forcibly ejected from the boiler (30), whereby the effectiveness of the rinsing process is enhanced.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a clothes treating apparatus operable in a dry cleaning process and a water washing process includes a valve inlet, and first and second valve outlets coupled in flow communication with the valve inlet. The apparatus includes a cabinet, and a wash tub and a storage tank positioned within the cabinet. The valve inlet is configured to be coupled in flow communication with the wash tub. The valve assembly also includes a first valve and a second valve configured to respectively control the flow through the first valve outlet and the second valve outlet. The first valve is configured to channel liquid from the wash tub outward through the first valve outlet in the water washing process, and the second valve is configured to channel liquid from the wash tub outward through the second valve outlet in the dry cleaning process.

Abstract: An FM broadcast transmitter transmits a broadcast signal having a carrier at a broadcast frequency and sidebands, able to be transmitted at full power, within a transmission bandwidth around the carrier. It includes a source of a modulated FM stereo signal having a carrier at the broadcast frequency and having sidebands with a bandwidth less than the transmission bandwidth representing a stereo signal. It also includes a source of a modulated in-band-on-channel (IBOC) signal, having carrier pulses spaced relative to each other to represent the IBOC digital data signal encoded as a variable pulse width encoded signal, and a bandwidth within the transmission bandwidth not overlapping the FM stereo signal sidebands. A signal combiner combines the modulated FM stereo signal and the modulated IBOC signal to form the broadcast signal.

Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode digital document delivery system is provided. A customer premise unit is configured to permit a customer to order and receive a data stream. A buffer is coupled to the customer premise unit to store the data stream before transmitting the data stream to a customer. A server includes digital documents stored thereon for delivery to customers through a switched ATM network. A control mechanism is employed to control a data rate of the data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady data stream from the customer premise unit to a customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise unit.

Abstract: Cordless communication techniques for cordless communication devices having a handset unit and a base unit are provided. Such techniques can utilize a modulation method for Frequency Division Duplex/Time Division Duplex (FDD/TDD) that overcomes deficiencies of prior art devices, for example, by eliminating the need for a burst mode controller for both Frequency Division Duplex and Time Division Duplex, as well as surface acoustic wave bandpass filters and dielectric low pass filters.

Abstract: A system and method for signal transmission and reception by narrow band chaotic bi-phase shift keying includes a forward error correction encoder for receiving input data, a data packetizer in signal communication with the forward error correction encoder, a compression encoder in signal communication with the data packetizer, a radio frequency link in signal communication with the compression encoder, a compression decoder in signal communication with the radio frequency link, a data depacketizer in signal communication with the compression decoder, and a forward error correction decoder in signal communication with the data depacketizer for recovering the input data by controlling the orbits of chaos; where the method includes the steps of transmitting a signal indicative of chaotic bi-phase shift keyed data, propagating the transmitted signal within a narrow frequency band, and receiving the propagated signal substantially without degradation of the indicated data by controlling the orbits of chaos.

Abstract: There is provided a system for integrating at least one residential Plain Old Telephone System (POTS) phone to a cellular phone network. A Subscriber Line Interface Circuit (SLIC 120) interfaces audio from the cellular phone network to the at least one residential POTS phone. A line switcher (122), connected to the SLIC, connects the at least one residential POTS phone to any one of a POTS line or a cellular line. An audio gateway (116), connected to the SLIC, wirelessly receives the audio from a cellular phone connected to the cellular phone network for subsequent transmission to the at least one residential phone and wirelessly transmits the audio from the POTS line to the cellular phone.

Abstract: A time division duplex (TDD) single sideband (SSB) transceiver includes a transmitter adapted to input an analog audio signal, sample the analog audio signal, and to output an SSB frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal corresponding to the analog audio signal, the SSB FSK signal including analog information. A receiver is adapted to switch between receiving one of an upper sideband and a lower sideband of an external SSB signal.

Abstract: A voltage controlled Colpitts type crystal oscillator includes a first crystal and a transistor coupled to the first crystal to provide positive feedback for generating an output oscillatory signal. A variable capacitance is coupled to the first crystal for producing a change in a frequency of the oscillatory signal when a corresponding change in the variable capacitance occurs. A first inductance is coupled in a resonant circuit that includes the variable capacitance and the first crystal having a value selected to provide a pulling range of at least 0.4% with respect to the frequency of the oscillatory signal. In one embodiment of the invention, a second crystal is coupled to the first crystal and included in the resonant circuit. An energy dissipating impedance is coupled in the resonant circuit to the first crystal for decreasing a Q characteristic of the first crystal to increase the pulling range of the oscillator.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for preparing allicin which comprises the following steps: (a) mechanically treating a natural source of alliinase to release alliinase therefrom; (b) contacting the mechanically treated alliinase source with an aqueous solution of allicin containing alliin at a concentration greater than that found in raw garlic, whereby the alliin is enzymatically converted to allicin by the alliinase released from the alliinase source; and optionally (c) extracting the resultant allicin into a low boiling point non-polar organic solvent.

Abstract: A system and method for signal transmission and reception by narrow band chaotic frequency shift keying includes a forward error correction encoder for receiving input data, a data packetizer in signal communication with the forward error correction encoder, a compression encoder in signal communication with the data packetizer, a radio frequency link in signal communication with the compression encoder, a compression decoder in signal communication with the radio frequency link, a data depacketizer in signal communication with the compression decoder, and a forward error correction decoder in signal communication with the data depacketizer for recovering the input data by controlling the orbits of chaos; where the method includes the steps of transmitting a signal indicative of chaotic frequency shift keyed data, propagating the transmitted signal within a narrow frequency band, and receiving the propagated signal substantially without degradation of the indicated data by controlling the orbits of chaos.

Abstract: A crystalline form of the compound 1-[2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-oxiranyl methyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole and a process for preparing the form. The crystalline form can be used for preparing fluconazole.

Abstract: An analog cordless telephone has a handset and a base. The handset and/or the base of the telephone may include the following components. A phase locked loop (PLL) and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), adapted to be shared between a receive path and a transmit path. A first analog gate is adapted to gate a received audio signal on and off, in response to a clock signal. A second analog gate is adapted to gate a transmit audio signal on and off, in response to an inverted version of the clock signal. The transmit audio signal is enabled when the received audio signal is gated off, and the VCO is further adapted to be modulated by the enabled transmit audio signal to output a modulated RF signal.

Abstract: Variable Aperture Coded (VAC) signals for VAC modulation are advantageously generated by a digital signal processor (12) that yields a VAC signal having a single narrow peak in the positive frequency region. A Discrete-Time Hilbert transformer (12) isolates only the positive spectral peaks, thus yielding a VAC signal that affords greater control over zero crossings.

Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode digital document delivery system is provided. A customer premise unit is configured to permit a customer to order and receive a data stream. A buffer is coupled to the customer premise unit to store the data stream before transmitting the data stream to a customer. A server includes digital documents stored thereon for delivery to customers through a switched ATM network. A control mechanism is employed to control a data rate of the data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady data stream from the customer premise unit to a customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise unit.