Abstract: Interlacing equipment may be used to form fabric and to create a gap in the fabric. The fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may be used to align an electrical component with the conductive strands during interlacing operations. A soldering tool may be used to remove insulation from the conductive strands to expose conductive segments on the conductive strands. The soldering tool may be used to solder the conductive segments to the electrical component. The solder connections may be located in grooves in the electrical component. An encapsulation tool may dispense encapsulation material in the grooves to encapsulate the solder connections. After the electrical component is electrically connected to the conductive strands, the insertion tool may position and release the electrical component in the gap. A component retention tool may temporarily be used to retain the electrical component in the gap as interlacing operations continue.

Abstract: Interlacing equipment may be used to form fabric and to create a gap in the fabric. The fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may be used to align an electrical component with the conductive strands during interlacing operations. A soldering tool may be used to remove insulation from the conductive strands to expose conductive segments on the conductive strands. The soldering tool may be used to solder the conductive segments to the electrical component. The solder connections may be located in grooves in the electrical component. An encapsulation tool may dispense encapsulation material in the grooves to encapsulate the solder connections. After the electrical component is electrically connected to the conductive strands, the insertion tool may position and release the electrical component in the gap. A component retention tool may temporarily be used to retain the electrical component in the gap as interlacing operations continue.

Abstract: A lead-acid battery separator with ultralow resistivity results from high porosity, controlled pore (10) size distribution, and an ionic surfactant (14) with a long alkyl side chain (18) that is anchored to the polymer matrix (12) of a silica-filled polyethylene separator. The surfactant cannot be easily removed or washed away and thereby imparts sustained wettability to the separator. Controlling the number of, and volume occupied by, the pores (i.e., porosity) and pore size distribution of the separator contributes to a reduction in electrical (ionic) resistivity.

Abstract: A program generation system is described that generates a program based on a plurality of input-output examples. The input-output examples include input items and corresponding output items. The program generation system can include three component modules. A parsing module processes the input items and output items to provide a plurality of input parts and output parts, respectively. A transformation module determines, for each output part, whether the output part can be produced from a corresponding input part using one or more converter modules selected from a collection of candidate converter modules. A formatting module generates formatting instructions that transform selected output parts into a form specified by the output items. These three modules provide a generated program that embodies logic learned from the input-output examples; the generated program can be subsequently used to transform new input items into new respective output items.

Abstract: A lead-acid battery separator with ultralow resistivity results from high porosity, controlled pore (10) size distribution, and an ionic surfactant (14) with a long alkyl side chain (18) that is anchored to the polymer matrix (12) of a silica-filled polyethylene separator. The surfactant cannot be easily removed or washed away and thereby imparts sustained wettability to the separator. Controlling the number of, and volume occupied by, the pores (i.e., porosity) and pore size distribution of the separator contributes to a reduction in electrical (ionic) resistivity.

Abstract: A program generation system is described that generates a program based on a plurality of input-output examples. The input-output examples include input items and corresponding output items. The program generation system can include three component modules. A parsing module processes the input items and output items to provide a plurality of input parts and output parts, respectively. A transformation module determines, for each output part, whether the output part can be produced from a corresponding input part using one or more converter modules selected from a collection of candidate converter modules. A formatting module generates formatting instructions that transform selected output parts into a form specified by the output items. These three modules provide a generated program that embodies logic learned from the input-output examples; the generated program can be subsequently used to transform new input items into new respective output items.

Abstract: A data entry system includes a number of sensors (27) behind a smooth surface (26). A pointer (34), such as a finger, traces out characters on the surface (26). An interpreter (30) matches the characters traced with predetermined patterns and outputs a corresponding character. The data entry system is suitable for use in small hand-held devices such as mobile telephones. It is suitable for entering Chinese characters.

Abstract: A device and method providing improved text entry via touch input means are described. The touch input means is labelled so as to provide a keypad, the keypad itself comprising key regions (206) which each depict a primary character surrounded by other characters. To enter text the user touches the key region (206) associated with the character required, and then moves the touch input in the direction of the required character. The method comprises the steps of defining a trajectory (312) comprising a plurality of location points (313) in response to the touch input; analysing the trajectory to determine a predominant direction and a representative location (206) of the trajectory; and selecting a character for input depending on the location and direction of the trajectory.

Abstract: A portable electronic device has a keypad for entering alphanumeric characters including a plurality of single contact keys and a multi-way shift key. A character is entered by actuating a single contact key (2) alone or in combination with the multi-way shift key (3). The multi-way shift key (3) may be a four-way rocker switch, with each single contact key having five character labels, four of which are arranged to indicate the direction in which the rocker switch should be actuated to enter the corresponding character.

Abstract: A system for location-based recordal of user activity comprising a portable device (20) for issue to a user, the device (20) having an associated unique identifier, a plurality of detectors (30) configured to detect the device (20) and obtain the unique identifier of the device (20), wherein each detector (30) is configured to log the location of the user at the predetermined location upon detection of the device (20), the system further comprising a number of activity sensors (50, 60, 70, 80) directed to one or more of the locations, each activity sensor (50, 60, 70, 80) being configured to record activity upon detection of the device (20) at the respective location.

Abstract: A communications system uses a transmitter beacon (70) for transmitting alert signals to mobile receivers. Each alert signal prompts an alert message of the transmitter beacon. Interpretation data is loaded into the mobile receiver and is used when an associated alert signal is received, thereby to generate the associated alert message at the mobile wireless device.

Abstract: A portable electronic device has a keypad for entering alphanumeric characters including a plurality of single contact keys and a multi-way shift key. A character is entered by actuating a single contact key (2) alone or in combination with the multi-way shift key (3). The multi-way shift key (3) may be a four-way rocker switch, with each single contact key having five character labels, four of which are arranged to indicate the direction in which the rocker switch should be actuated to enter the corresponding character.

Abstract: A method of entering melodic information into a terminal (SS1) having an audio capability, such as a portable telephone having a ringer (34), in which the information is entered as an unstructured character string of ASCII characters. Each byte of 4 characters comprises 2 characters representing a note and 2 characters representing a duration of that note. The information may be entered using a keypad (28) on the terminal or over the air from a remote terminal (PS). Short form methods are disclosed for handling repeat sequences of notes and their durations. Optionally a volume indicator may be included in the unstructured character string for use in setting the relative volume of the reproduced melodic information.

Abstract: A compression method and apparatus are provided for use in image data processing where two-dimensional pixel images have respective absolute depth values specified per pixel, and that depth data is required to be compressed prior to transmission or storage with the image data. The process of compressing the depth data per image begins by determining patches of adjoining pixels of the image (90), which pixels of a patch have the same or similar depth values, and assigning a common depth value to all pixels of the patch. Next, pixel patches having the same or similar common pixel depth values are grouped together (92), and a common depth value is assigned to all pixels of the patches so grouped, following which for each discrete pixel depth value, a determination is made (94) as to the area or number of pixels of the image having that depth value. For the smallest of these areas, the depth value of each of those pixels concerned is modified (100) to the nearest existing discrete depth value.

Abstract: A clip for retaining thin plastics film material (6) in tension formed of a pair of elongate channel members (2,4) removably assembled together in inverted relationship. The film material passes through the fixing between opposed cooperating complementary sinuous surfaces (8,3;9,12) of the flanks of the channel members and in so doing passes over surface portions of the fixing at the entrance to the cooperating surfaces of each flank pair, which are exposed to direct radiation. To avoid degradation of the plastics at these surface portions, means (30,32) are provided on one of the channel members to cover or shield these surface portions from such direct radiation. The covering or shielding (30,32) may be integrally formed with one of the channel members of removably afixed thereto.