Abstract: A drinking cup lid is disclosed. The drinking cup lid includes a body with a deck and an annular wall that depends downwards. The annular wall is adapted to insert into a drinking cup. A first gasket and a second gasket extend outward from the annular wall and are configured for sealing engagement with the drinking cup. A closure is pivotally attached to the annular wall and configured and arranged to pivot between a closed position, sealing the drinking cup closed, and an open position, opening the drinking cup.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for neural-based processing. In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include reading, from a first memory, context information stored based on at least one connection value; reading, from a second memory, an activation value matching the at least one connection value; sending, by a first processor, the context information and the activation value to at least one of a plurality of microengines to configure the at least one microengine as a neuron; and generating, at the at least one microengine, a value representative of an output of the neuron. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: There is disclosed a strap. In an embodiment, a strap includes a base portion with a longitudinal central portion with string folded back at the center, and a weaved portion with reef knots perpendicular to the base. The reef knots are weaved portions of the string from a side of a base-end portion of the base to a side of a folded back portion of the base. Sides of the base are sandwiched by a pair of ring portions of the reef knots. A first engaging member is coupled with the base-end portion of the base and a beginning section of the weaved portion. A second engaging member is configured to engage with the first engaging member and couple with an end portion of the weaved portion. The second engaging member is movable in a longitudinal direction of the base with respect to the folded back portion of the portion.

Abstract: Artificial neural systems are very powerful tools for pattern matching, classification, feature extraction and signal analysis. Systems to date lack an essential feature of their biological counterparts, a measure of confidence that the network response has actually been trained and is not an artifact. In the proposed artificial neural system one output is a produced (trained) measure of confidence in the remaining outputs i.e. a measure of certainty that the inputs match the training data.

Abstract: A cooking pan apparatus, system, and method of use, comprising: a drain opening in a side wall of the pan; and a pan handle attached to the side wall, comprising a hollow drain channel enclosing the drain opening and running from proximate the drain opening to a drain exit proximate a distal end of the pan handle.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism provides quality of service guarantees for time-sensitive signals sharing a local area computer network with non-time-sensitive traffic. Device adapters are placed at all access points to an Ethernet network. The device adapters limit admission rates and control the timing of all packets entering the network. By doing so, collisions are eliminated for timesensitive traffic, thereby guaranteeing timely delivery. A common time reference is established for the device adapters. The time reference includes a frame with a plurality of phases. Each of the phases is assigned to a device adapter. Each device adapter is allowed to transmit packets of data onto the network only during the phase assigned thereto. The length of the phases may be modified in accordance with the number of packets to be transmitted by a particular device adapter. A master device adapter may be appointed to synchronize each of the device adapters.

Abstract: A power adapter device and a power delivery system are disclosed herein. The power adapter device includes an input terminal at which the device receives input power having an input power characteristic, and an output terminal at which the device provides output power having an output power characteristic, where the device is further able to receive an informational signal via the output terminal. Additionally the power adapter device includes a conversion device coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal that is capable of converting at least a portion of the input power having the input power characteristic into the output power having the output power characteristic, and a processing device coupled to the conversion device, where the processing device controls the conversion device based at least in part upon the informational signal so that the output characteristic of the output power satisfies a requirement specified by the signal.

Abstract: A control system 20 for an automotive vehicle 22, such as an adaptive cruise control system, is provided including a navigation system 34. The navigation system 34 includes a global positioning system 38. The navigation system 34 detects a ramp and generates a navigation signal including navigation data and map data. A controller 24 is electrically coupled to the navigation system 34. The controller 24 in response to the navigation signal adjusts the speed of the vehicle 22.

Abstract: A tie and a tie method for binding together adjacent support elements such as concrete reinforcing bars by employing a tie having a frame which can be disposed about the bars, and a wedge adapted to be forcibly driven between resilient portions of the frame and the bars to develop a biasing face which compresses the bars together.

Abstract: Regenerative braking is actuated in an electrical vehicle during towing of the vehicle to recharge the battery and brake the vehicle. When a driver of a towing vehicle depresses the brakes of the vehicle (202), the electrical vehicle applies regenerative braking in proportion to a braking signal from the towing vehicle (206). Also, regenerative braking is applied to the electrical vehicle when the vehicle is inadvertently disconnected from a connector (110) that couples the electrical vehicle to the towing vehicle (208).

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism provides quality of service guarantees for time-sensitive signals sharing a local area computer network with non-time-sensitive traffic. Device adapters are placed at all access points to an Ethernet network. The device adapters limit admission rates and control the timing of all packets entering the network. By doing so, collisions are eliminated for timesensitive traffic, thereby guaranteeing timely delivery. A common time reference is established for the device adapters. The time reference includes a frame with a plurality of phases. Each of the phases is assigned to a device adapter. Each device adapter is allowed to transmit packets of data onto the network only during the phase assigned thereto. The length of the phases may be modified in accordance with the number of packets to be transmitted by a particular device adapter. A master device adapter may be appointed to synchronize each of the device adapters.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism provides quality of service guarantees for time-sensitive signals sharing a local area computer network with non-time-sensitive traffic. Device adapters are placed at all access points to an Ethernet network. The device adapters limit admission rates and control the timing of all packets entering the network. By doing so, collisions are eliminated for time-sensitive traffic, thereby guaranteeing timely delivery. A common time reference is established for the device adapters. The time reference includes a frame with a plurality of phases. Each of the phases is assigned to a device adapter. Each device adapter is allowed to transmit packets of data onto the network only during the phase assigned thereto. The length of the phases may be modified in accordance with the number of packets to be transmitted by a particular device adapter. A master device adapter may be appointed to synchronize each of the device adapters.

Abstract: A control system 20 for an automotive vehicle 22, such as an adaptive cruise control system, is provided including a navigation system 34. The navigation system 34 includes a global positioning system 38. The navigation system 34 detects a ramp and generates a navigation signal including navigation data and map data. A controller 24 is electrically coupled to the navigation system 34. The controller 24 in response to the navigation signal adjusts the speed of the vehicle 22.

Abstract: An inhalation device is described for use with a medicament pack in which at least one container for medicament in powder form is defined between two sheets peelably secured to one another. The device comprises means for peeling the sheets apart at an opening station to open the container; and an outlet, communicating with the opened container, through which a user can inhale medicament in powder form from the opened container.

Abstract: Regenerative braking is actuated in an electrical vehicle during towing of the vehicle to recharge the battery and brake the vehicle. When a driver of a towing vehicle depresses the brakes of the vehicle (202), the electrical vehicle applies regenerative braking in proportion to a braking signal from the towing vehicle (206). Also, regenerative braking is applied to the electrical vehicle when the vehicle is inadvertently disconnected from a connector (110) that couples the electrical vehicle to the towing vehicle (208).

Abstract: An inhalation device is described for use with a medicament pack in which at least one container for medicament in powder form is defined between two sheets peelably secured to one another. The device comprises means for peeling the sheets apart at an opening station to open the container; and an outlet, communicating with the opened container, through which a user can inhale medicament in powder form from the opened container.

Abstract: A method and system for managing telephone services and for synchronizing with video services is disclosed in which a subscriber selects and requests services through a selection device such as a telephone keypad and a video display (such as a television) displays information associated with the selected or requested service. An auto-mute feature is provided to mute the TV device when an off-hook event is detected. A service synchronization module temporarily interrupts the delivery of a video program upon the occurrence of a telephone call by pausing or recording the program and resumes the delivery after the telephone call is terminated.

Abstract: Non-fossil gaseous fuel, evolved in underwater carbon arcing, and characterized by significant heat content and substantial freedom of its combustion effluents from noxious gases and/or particulates, is similarly useful in whole or part as an additive to predominantly hydrocarbon fuels—whether in bulk storage or transport, flowing in a pipeline, fueling a cutting/welding torch, or fueling an internal-combustion engine. Dosing a predominantly hydrocarbon fuel with all or a selected part of such gaseous fuel mixture inhibits leakage and substantially diminishes noxious effluent gases and particulates as characteristic of the combustion of predominantly hydrocarbon fuels.

Abstract: A free-space atmospheric laser communications error control circuit. The invention includes a control circuit that circumvents the problems of scintillation and other atmospheric degradation of signal propagation in a free-space atmospheric laser communication system by transmitting a “signal strength” data stream between each pair of communicating laser transceivers. The signal strength data stream indicates the signal strength of the sending transceiver as actually received by the remote receiving transceiver. If the sending transceiver receives data from the remote receiving transceiver indicating that the signal strength of the sending transceiver has fallen to or below a selected threshold, or if the sending transceiver cannot detect the signal strength data stream, then the sending transceiver suspends transmission of information packets. The sending transceiver resumes transmission of information packets when the indicated signal strength level returns to an acceptable level.

Abstract: An arbitration mechanism provides quality of service guarantees for time-sensitive signals sharing a local area computer network with non-time-sensitive traffic. Device adapters are placed at all access points to an Ethernet network. The device adapters limit admission rates and control the timing of all packets entering the network. By doing so, collisions are eliminated for time-sensitive traffic, thereby guaranteeing timely delivery. A common time reference is established for the device adapters. The time reference includes a frame with a plurality of phases. Each of the phases is assigned to a device adapter. Each device adapter is allowed to transmit packets of data onto the network only during the phase assigned thereto. The length of the phases may be modified in accordance with the number of packets to be transmitted by a particular device adapter. One of the device adapters may be designated as a master timing device to synchronize each of the other device adapters.