Abstract: A liquid cooling system for an outdoor ice forming surface provides a geothermal heat pump that has a refrigeration circuit with a compressor that is disposed between a cold tube section and a hot tube section. An outdoor structure has an upward facing ice forming surface that is configured to retain a body of ice, where a coolant line is provided at or near the ice forming surface. A fluid pump is coupled with the coolant line and is configured to circulate liquid through the coolant line and over the cold tube section of the geothermal heat pump to dispense heat before being recirculated to the ice forming surface of the outdoor structure.

Abstract: A liquid cooling system for an outdoor ice forming surface provides a geothermal heat pump that has a refrigeration circuit with a compressor that is disposed between a cold tube section and a hot tube section. An outdoor structure has an upward facing ice forming surface that is configured to retain a body of ice, where a coolant line is provided at or near the ice forming surface. A fluid pump is coupled with the coolant line and is configured to circulate liquid through the coolant line and over the cold tube section of the geothermal heat pump to dispense heat before being recirculated to the ice forming surface of the outdoor structure.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for adaptively controlling a stepper motor to produce a required torque output based on selection information provided by a sensor or a user/user interface which, in combination with a selector, selects a torque-related value. The selection information provided to the selector for selecting the stepper motor torque-related value may be, for example, the size or thickness of material being handled or the number of accumulated sheets for processing. The torque-related value is predetermined through experimentation and loaded into a lookup table stored in the memory of a motion control system board. The selected torque-related value is provided to a stepper motor driver which supplies the appropriate drive signal(s) to the stepper motor.

Abstract: A method includes receiving at a sub-program a request from an external entity the request comprising at least one parameter and a return address, utilizing the return address and an address list associated with the sub-program to authenticate the external entity, and processing the request if the external entity is authenticated.

Abstract: A method includes configuring a flash memory device including a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence, copying a portion of the primary memory sector to the free memory sector, erasing the primary memory sector, and changing a correspondence of each of the first memory sector, the second memory sector, and the third memory sector.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method includes storing at least one data element in an external memory located outside of a security boundary, and executing a validation algorithm within the security boundary to repeatedly validate the at least one data element. The validation algorithm includes validating a size of the at least one data element, validating a hash of the at least one data element, and validating a signature of a hash file comprising information corresponding to the at least one data element.

Abstract: A postal security device (PSD) includes a microprocessor including an internal random access memory (RAM) and an internal flash memory in which is stored at least one secure datum, and at least one external memory coupled to the microprocessor in which is stored at least one non-secure datum and not one of the at least one secure datum.

Abstract: A method includes retrieving and printing a first portion of an information based indicia (IBI) from a memory, and writing at least one datum to a flash memory while retrieving and printing a second portion of the IBI from the memory.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for bonding asynchronous transfer mode permanent virtual circuits using a multi-link segmentation and reassembly sublayer. A method includes: transforming a stream of asynchronous transfer mode cells into a stream of bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells; demultiplexing the stream of bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells into a plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells; and transmitting the plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells to a remote location via a plurality of permanent virtual circuits, characterized in that the transmitted plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronized transfer mode cells can be multiplexed into a multiplexed stream of asynchronized transfer mode cells after transmission via at least two permanent virtual circuits, which compose the plurality of permanent virtual circuits, that do not have an identical bit-rate.

Abstract: A method and system that allows for large amounts of data to be printed utilizing a small memory is provided. The complete image to be printed on the print medium is separated into different regions each having associated print data. The memory device, while being too small to store all of the print data for the full image, is capable of storing the print data associated with each region. The print data for each region is released from the print head controller to the memory device for printing in a timed fashion based on movement of the print medium. The print data for a subsequent region will not be passed to the memory until the print medium has moved a sufficient distance, thereby indicating that printing of the preceding region has been completed.

Abstract: A high speed mail processing system having multiple printing modules is provided with a single printer controller or portion thereof that is used to control the operation of all of the printing modules. Messages that originate from the control unit of the mail processing system include a header that identifies the intended recipient(s) of the message, and the single printer controller can route the message to the intended recipient(s) based upon the identification included in the header. The printer controller can be separated into different parts for performing different functions related to the printing modules and only a single part of the printer controller can be provided to control respective functions for all of the printing modules in the system. By allowing the multiple printing modules to share a controller, the need for duplicated hardware is software is removed, thereby decreasing both the complexity and cost of the system.

Abstract: A mailing machine is provided that determines if entry into a disabled state is coupled with the need for auxiliary information to be entered by the user. If auxiliary information is required to be entered by the user, the print head will not move to the capped position but instead remains in the printing position, and a timer is activated to provide the user with time to enter the information. If the user enters the required information before a predetermined amount of time has expired, the mail piece will be processed without any delay required for the print head to move from the capped position to the printing position. Only if the user has not entered the required information within the predetermined amount of time will the print head move to the capped position.

Abstract: A mailing machine is provided, that when operating in a differential weighing mode, can detect if a user has replaced one or more mail pieces that may have been inadvertently removed at the same time back onto the scale. If the mailing machine detects such replacement within a predetermined time period after the scale has stabilized, the weight calculated for the mail piece can be reduced by the amount added back to the scale, or alternatively the user could be requested to confirm that multiple pieces were inadvertently removed from the scale at the same time and the user is trying to correct that error and a new weight determined.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that reduce feeding and weighing errors in a manually fed mailing machine thereby allowing a very fast throughput to be achieved while a user is taking mail pieces off of a scale and feeding them into the mailing machine. Weights or postage amounts for additional subsequent mail pieces are accepted before the processing of a preceding mail piece has been completed. A queue is maintained for information that has been provided by an attached scale such that the mailing machine can correctly associate each weight or postage amount with the appropriate mail piece when it is fed into the mailing machine. When processing of a previous mail piece has been completed, the information from the next location in the queue is obtained and utilized to generate an indicium for the next mail piece fed into the mailing machine.

Abstract: This invention utilizes several coordinating devices that together provide a more comprehensive set of diagnostics which support both on-site and remote diagnostics of the customers equipment. Sensor transitions and profile state execution information will be cross-referenced by a common time stamp. Thus, it will be possible to not only observe the response (sensor transition) to stimulus (motion profiles), but also cross-reference this data to the specific controlling profile state segment. This yields an additional "context" for specific types of errors. The foregoing level of diagnostics will be available on-site with the customers machine for manual processing by a skilled human, when necessary.

Abstract: A system that limits the torque of motors and discontinues motion control activity of system components in order to protect electrical and mechanical system hardware. Mechanical stresses are controlled by a microprocessor in a manner that they will not exceed predefined limits so that mechanical components will not be destroyed. Thus, replacement of major system components such as drive electronics and fuses may be avoided. Hence, there will be a reduction in service calls to repair the motors and system components.

Abstract: An envelope inserting machine has a feed path for envelopes which includes an envelope inserting position and means for feeding successive envelopes to that position. Envelope throat opening claw assemblies have claws that maintain the throat of an envelope at the inserting position open to receive a collation of insert material from a collation feeding mechanism adjacent the envelope inserting position. A microprocessor control means actuates the throat opening claw assemblies to release the upper edge of the envelope and substantially simultaneously actuates the envelope feeding means to move the envelope in a rearward direction momentarily, either after the collation is substantially fully inserted into the envelope or while it is still being inserted, to ensure that the collation is inserted sufficiently to bring the trailing edge of the collation beyond the crease line between the front panel of the envelope and the flap.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for applying encoded data on the balance stripe of sound track, the data for providing information for editing an associated film without recording the data on the film. The present invention teaches an apparatus for applying code for synchronizing sound on a single strip of the sound track with an associated film. The apparatus includes a code box for generating the code, which relates the position of the film relative to the sound track. The code box is coupled to an editing flatbed for providing pulses related to the movement of the sound track. A sound module is coupled to the code box for applying the code to the balance stripe.