Abstract: A low power control and monitoring network that is easy to setup operates using devices connected to a wired medium, each device having: unique identification, a CPU with a minimum power consumption state while powered by a power supply; a digital memory storing a resource management file of the device, a transceiver controllable by the CPU for communication on the wired medium wherein the transceiver is in an OFF state when the CPU is in the minimum power consumption state, a wakeup circuit generating a pulse of predetermined data or pulse characteristics for waking up the CPU and transceiver and for waking up the CPU of another device, the wake up resulting from the use of the communication of data including an address of the device on the network and to enable communication of a resource management file of at least one device to the other device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of proximity communications and especially methods for establishing associations, transferring power and communicating data between devices. Devices are proposed to interact with each other, initially by being brought into close proximity to initiate transfer of data that enables the device to communicate with other devices similarly brought together. The devices can be used as a controller or an appliance or both. There is also provided a power transfer mechanism for controller and appliance devices which do not have locally available power at the time the initial proximity action is taking place, so that the processes associated with the data transfer can take place regardless. There is also described a two part device, one part of which provides the proximity communications capability the other part does not have.

Abstract: A method for effecting a near field communication, including the steps of positioning a first device at a close proximity to a second device, wherein the close proximity is suitable for the near field communication; and sending a first effectively carrierless signal from the first device to the second device.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to remote controls with graphical user interfaces and user input mechanisms that are used to control the state of one or more other devices. The invention includes a meta-state widget provided on a remote control device to indicate a condition of the state of an application widget also on the device. An application widget provides on the remote control a visual icon such as a push button, slider, check box or other kind of icon that commonly appears on a graphical user interface. An application widget may be used to send a command to an associated entity to cause it to change state. In general an associated entity may be a physical device such as a PVR, or a software element such as a program or a component of a program. The conditions that may be indicated on the remote control device by the meta-state widget are: UNCONFIRMED, CONFIRMED, UNKNOWN and IN-ERROR.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of proximity communications and especially methods for establishing associations, transferring power and communicating data between devices. Devices are proposed to interact with each other, initially by being brought into close proximity to initiate transfer of data that enables the device to communicate with other devices similarly brought together. The devices can be used as a controller or an appliance or both. There is also provided a power transfer mechanism for controller and appliance devices which do not have locally available power at the time the initial proximity action is taking place, so that the processes associated with the data transfer can take place regardless. There is also described a two part device, one part of which provides the proximity communications capability the other part does not have.

Abstract: A method for effecting a near field communication, including the steps of positioning a first device at a close proximity to a second device, wherein the close proximity is suitable for the near field communication; and sending a first effectively carrierless signal from the first device to the second device.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for qualifying and quantifying the quality of navigational data emanating from any GPS receiver using its NMEA 0183 output messages for use in a dead reckoning system. It does this by deriving a first distance measurement travelled for a predetermined time period from a dead reckoning system or a GPS system. It then also calculates a second distance being the distance between two global positioning system (GPS) position measurements in the predetermined time. Finally, it calculates the difference between the first and second distances to derive a distance error. The statistical variance of the distance errors derived by repeating the above steps a predetermined number of times is representative of a figure of merit of a prior GPS position of the vehicle.

Abstract: The software of the present invention allows for easy and accurate printing of the same title or other indicia on both halves of a tab insert on a (perforated) sheet which is passed through a (laser) printer. The user enters the title once (into the computer) and the program automatically copies it. The entered and copied titles are added into a special table of the formatted document. Alternating rows and columns in the table are kept free of the indicia and the copied indicia and thereby define built-in margins allowing for the accurate printing placement of the indicia on the inserts. That is, the empty cells on the table enforce the margins and ensure that the printing stays on the tabs.

Abstract: A computer-printable adhesive note system configures a computer and a printer to print information on self-sticking adhesive notes. The system includes a note assembly and a plurality of instructions in the form of computer code. The note assembly includes a printing sheet with a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive applied on one side thereof and covered by a backing sheet. The printing sheet is divided into a plurality of notes by lines of perforations. The plurality of instructions are installed on a computer and may utilize an existing word-processing program on the computer. The plurality of instructions configure the computer to receive, from a keyboard of the computer, information to be printed on the printing sheet of one of the notes of the note assembly. The plurality of instructions then configure the printer to print the received information on the printing sheet of one of the notes of the note assembly.