Abstract: The appliances and methods provide a tab on a “U”-shaped clip having a labial (i.e. toward the patient's lips or cheek) section and a lingual (i.e. toward the patient's tongue) section. The tab is located in a position that facilitates access by a practitioner and also reduces the moment applied to the clip when the clips is opened and closed. Advantageously, the tab can be positioned to account for the varying degree of resistance encountered by different sections of the clip and minimize the likelihood of either distorting the clip or torquing the appliance. The tab can be positioned coplanar with the sliding mechanism. Advantageously, these appliances can provide improved ease of use, reduced clip distortion over time, and greater patient comfort.

Abstract: Provided are improved self-ligating appliances and methods that use a flexible “U”-shaped spring clip slidably engaged to the appliance body and have a cavity located on an outwardly-facing side of the appliance that includes a concave side surface that interrupts a side wall of the slot. The cavity is collectively defined by the body and one leg of the “U”-shaped clip when the clip is in its closed position and has a size sufficient to accommodate the tip of a hand instrument. By providing tactile feedback to the practitioner along surfaces of both the clip and appliance body, the appliance mechanism can be conveniently operated without a line of sight with the cavity.

Abstract: The appliances and methods provide a tab on a “U”-shaped clip having a labial (i.e. toward the patient's lips or cheek) section and a lingual (i.e. toward the patient's tongue) section. The tab is located in a position that facilitates access by a practitioner and also reduces the moment applied to the clip when the clips is opened and closed. Advantageously, the tab can be positioned to account for the varying degree of resistance encountered by different sections of the clip and minimize the likelihood of either distorting the clip or torquing the appliance. The tab can be positioned coplanar with the sliding mechanism. Advantageously, these appliances can provide improved ease of use, reduced clip distortion over time, and greater patient comfort.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preventing spam e-mail messages from being propagated or transmitted by monitoring user interaction events associated with the system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing a first e-mail message on a system that transmits e-mail message and has an input device includes identifying an attempt to transmit the first e-mail message; and determining whether a user interaction event has occurred within a given time interval. If it is determined that a user interaction event has not occurred within the given time interval, the first e-mail message is prevented from being transmitted.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preventing spam e-mail messages from being propagated or transmitted by monitoring user interaction events associated with the system are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing a first e-mail message on a system that transmits e-mail message and has an input device includes identifying an attempt to transmit the first e-mail message; and determining whether a user interaction event has occurred within a given time interval. If it is determined that a user interaction event has not occurred within the given time interval, the first e-mail message is prevented from being transmitted.

Abstract: A system and method for voice quality analysis include the ability to receive packets in a voice stream and to generate a receipt indicator for the packets. The system and method also include the ability to substitute a reference voice sample for the voice data in the packets and to compare the voice data in the voice-substituted packets to the reference voice sample to determine voice quality.