Abstract: A programmable pill box assembly includes a pill box that has a plurality of compartments therein for containing pills. A plurality of doors is each hingedly coupled to the pill box. Each of the doors is aligned with a respective one of the compartments for opening and closing the compartments. A sensing unit is coupled to the pill box to sense when each of the doors is opened or closed. A transmission unit is removably coupled to the pill box and the transmission unit transmits an alert signal when the sensing unit senses that a respective one of the doors has not been opened at a predetermined time. A bracelet is worn on a wrist of the user and the bracelet is in wireless communication with the transmission unit. The bracelet vibrates to remind the user to take the pills in one of the compartments in the pill box.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for eliminating or mitigating the effects of the corruption of contents in an external flash memory, such as that which can occur during a power interruption. Embodiments of the invention include methods to log external flash memory program and erase operations redundantly to dedicated buffer partitions in the flash memory itself. The log information from external serial flash memory is used to erase the sector that was being programmed or erased when power was removed. According to certain aspects, the redundant storage of log information in embodiments ensures that if one version of the log information is corrupted, the other version can be used.

Abstract: Systems and related methods for controlling vehicle position and movement are disclosed. A system includes one or more computers configured to receive data corresponding to video image frames of at least a portion of a course, and analyze the video image frame to estimate at least one of position and orientation of the vehicle within the course. A method includes identifying groups of pixels from the video image frames that are determined to correspond to non-background objects in the course. The method also includes correlating at least a portion of the identified groups of pixels with known objects in the course, and analyzing positions of the groups of pixels within the video image frames and known positions of at least one of an image capture device and known objects relative to the course to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the vehicle within the course.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for eliminating or mitigating the effects of the corruption of contents in an external flash memory, such as that which can occur during a power interruption. Embodiments of the invention include methods to log external flash memory program and erase operations redundantly to dedicated buffer partitions in the flash memory itself. The log information from external serial flash memory is used to erase the sector that was being programmed or erased when power was removed. According to certain aspects, the redundant storage of log information in embodiments ensures that if one version of the log information is corrupted, the other version can be used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for eliminating or mitigating the effects of the corruption of contents in a flash memory, such as that which can occur during a power interruption. Embodiments of the invention include methods for preventing the corruption of code stored in flash memory. Such methods can include partitioning code in separate physical blocks as data in a flash memory. Embodiments of the invention also include methods for mitigating the effects of corruption of data stored in flash memory. Such methods can include a book-keeping mechanism that allows for the detection of corruption events, along with the affected locations in flash memory.

Abstract: A vehicle turn signal canceling system with means to recognize that a quantified turn has been made in order to deactivate the signaling condition. The system includes a microcontroller and an inertia sensor which measures the lateral or side force created when the vehicle turns left or right. The automatic function cancels the turn based on the side force as follows: at the time the turn signal is activated, the system records the referenced lateral or side force (the “reference point”); second, when the side force exceeds the reference point, plus a pre-determined side force, the unit accumulates exceedance time; and third, when the exceedance time reaches a pre-determined period of time, the turn signal status is then changed to “cancel” and the signaling condition is deactivated.

Abstract: A vehicle turn signal canceling system with means to recognize that a quantified turn has been made in order to deactivate the signaling condition. The system includes a microcontroller and an inertia sensor which measures the lateral or side force created when the vehicle turns left or right. The automatic function cancels the turn based on the side force as follows: at the time the turn signal is activated, the system records the referenced lateral or side force (the “reference point”); second, when the side force exceeds the reference point, plus a pre-determined side force, the unit accumulates exceedance time; and third, when the exceedance time reaches a pre-determined period of time, the turn signal status is then changed to “cancel” and the signaling condition is deactivated.

Abstract: A device to reclaim slivers of deodorant comprising a heated molding device configured to receive and melt or compress multiple slivers of deodorant into one standard sized bar, comprising a plastic cylindrical container capable of containing solid deodorant having an oval cross-section, and an internal lifting platform operated with a twist knob at its bottom to raise the solid deodorant as it is used, the improvement comprising a base having a heating element, the cylindrical container fits into the base to heat the slivers thus allowing the slivers to melt.

Abstract: Systems and related methods for controlling vehicle position and movement are disclosed. A system includes one or more computers configured to receive data corresponding to video image frames of at least a portion of a course, and analyze the video image frame to estimate at least one of position and orientation of the vehicle within the course. A method includes identifying groups of pixels from the video image frames that are determined to correspond to non-background objects in the course. The method also includes correlating at least a portion of the identified groups of pixels with known objects in the course, and analyzing positions of the groups of pixels within the video image frames and known positions of at least one of an image capture device and known objects relative to the course to estimate at least one of the position and orientation of the vehicle within the course.

Abstract: A method of using a system processing phone call routing, the method including: automatically capturing, by a computer system, call data for each of a plurality of phone calls utilizing a toll free number and routed as referrals to a service, which engages accounting software to automatically track compensation for the referrals by generating an association of the captured phone call data for each of the referrals with compensation for connecting the referrals so as to distinguish the service from phone call referral data and compensation for a plurality of other services receiving other referrals, the engaging initiating digital reporting, via an Internet address, which includes generating, from the association, call referral information related to the service and said compensation for the referrals to the service.

Abstract: A method of processing a phone call, the method including: from a trunk interface, receiving an inbound communication from a caller, the inbound communication received at an interactive voice response system; at the interactive voice response system, receiving a number associated with the inbound communication, the number indicative of a location of the caller; querying a memory containing call referral data for each of a plurality of services, using the number, to obtain a phone number for one of the services associated with the location of the caller, the querying carried out by the interactive voice response system; and connecting, by the interactive voice response system, the inbound communication to an outbound communication line to connect the caller with the phone number for the one of the services associated with the location of the caller.

Abstract: A method of processing a phone call, the method including: from a trunk interface, receiving an inbound communication from which a number is detected, the number sufficient to identify a location of a caller, and by a digital electrical computer system including a memory storing phone numbers for a plurality of credit counseling services, querying the memory by using the detected number to select at least three phone numbers for credit counseling services associated with the location of the caller and outputting a sequence of the phone numbers automatically selected for the credit counseling services associated with the location of the caller.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and systems for troubleshooting charging and photoreceptor failure modes associated with a xerographic process. Specifically, according to an exemplary method the photoreceptor decay behavior, with and without the effects of depletion, are quantified and used to determine a performance state of one or more of the charging stations and the photoreceptor surface.

Abstract: This disclosure provides methods and systems for troubleshooting charging and photoreceptor failure modes associated with a xerographic process. Specifically, according to an exemplary method the photoreceptor decay behavior, with and without the effects of depletion, are quantified and used to determine a performance state of one or more of the charging stations and the photoreceptor surface.

Abstract: Expandable emboli filter and thrombectomy devices adapted for use with microcatheters to remove debris from blood vessels. The devices embody expanded profiles that span the entirety of various sized target vessels and thus are particularly effective in the engagement of debris found in vessels.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for characterizing a model-based spectral reflectance sensing device. In accordance with the teachings hereof, measurements of training samples taken with a previously manufactured ‘fleet master’ sensing device are adapted, in a manner more fully disclosed herein, based upon knowledge of the wavelengths of the illuminators used for both the subject and fleet master sensors, as well as spectral reflectance response of the training samples as measured by a reference spectrophotometer device. Utilizing the adapted measurements of the fleet master device, a reconstruction matrix can be quickly constructed for the subject sensor. The present system and method provides reasonably good accuracy using pre-existing measurement data. This results in manufacturing cost savings on a per-sensor basis.

Abstract: A system for referring a telephone communication to one of a plurality of financial assistance providers based on lender criteria, the method including the steps of: storing telephone numbers for a plurality of financial assistance providers in memory accessible by a digital electrical computer; obtaining lender criteria for selecting one of the financial assistance providers; storing said criteria for access by said computer; identifying a debtor; selecting one of the financial assistance providers by accessing the criteria, applying the criteria, and accessing one of the stored telephone numbers; and connecting the debtor by telephone to the one of the stored telephone numbers.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a novel system and method for quickly characterizing a reflectance sensing device without measuring the full set of characterization color patch training samples currently used in manufacturing and characterizing individual sensors. In accordance with the teachings hereof, measurements of training samples taken with a previously manufactured ‘fleet master’ sensing device are adapted, in a manner more fully disclosed herein, based upon knowledge of the wavelengths of the illuminators used for both the subject and fleet master sensors, as well as spectral reflectance response of the training samples as measured by a reference spectrophotometer device. Utilizing the adapted measurements of the fleet master device, a reconstruction matrix can be quickly constructed for the subject sensor. The present system and method provides reasonably good accuracy using pre-existing measurement data. This results in manufacturing cost savings on a per-sensor basis.

Abstract: Expandable emboli filter and thrombectomy devices adapted for use with microcatheters to remove debris from blood vessels. The devices embody expanded profiles that span the entirety of various sized target vessels and thus are particularly effective in the engagement of debris found in vessels.

Abstract: A system for referring a telephone communication to one of a plurality of financial assistance providers based on lender criteria, the method including the steps of: storing telephone numbers for a plurality of financial assistance providers in memory accessible by a digital electrical computer; obtaining lender criteria for selecting one of the financial assistance providers; storing said criteria for access by said computer; identifying a debtor; selecting one of the financial assistance providers by accessing the criteria, applying the criteria, and accessing one of the stored telephone numbers; and connecting the debtor by telephone to the one of the stored telephone numbers.