Abstract: The self-driven cable transportation system for persons used for the aerial panoramic observation of the environment comprises: A cable suspended over the ground held and tensed by brackets fixed to any natural element available like trees, rocks, etc., or to any type of artificial element, like poles towers, constructions, etc., along this line vehicles driven by the a user's feet run in a safe and comfortable manner to observe the environment without having to stop at the cable's anchoring points. The user has full control of the vehicle's speed, being able to accelerate, break and stop at will, having at all times both hands free. This system may be installed and used on any type of ground with recreation and/or scientific observation purposes.

Abstract: Techniques for managing heterogeneous key stores are presented. A centralized key management service receives key instructions in a generic format. These key instructions are communicated to distributed key agents distributed over a network. The key agents translate the key instructions into native formats expected by distributed key stores. The key agents then process the key instructions in the native formats against the distributed key stores on behalf of the centralized key management service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling the transmission of data packets over a multihop wireless backhaul network in which delay guarantees through the network may be advantageously ensured. Illustratively, a novel packet scheduling scheme is provided which is advantageously based on an existing scheduling policy for wireline networks and for which a delay guarantee (based on the delay characteristics of the existing scheduling policy) can be advantageously ensured. In one embodiment, an even-odd link activation framework is defined for a given multihop wireless backhaul network, and an associated scheduling policy based on an arbitrary existing scheduling policy for wireline networks is derived and adopted. In such a case, the derived scheduling policy, when applied to the given multihop wireless backhaul network, advantageously ensures a worst-case delay guarantee of approximately twice that of the existing scheduling policy for wireline networks.

Abstract: The container covers stack together in two different ways. First, the covers can be stacked into an “aligned” stack. The aligned stack provides structural rigidity for bulk handling during manufacturing. Second, the covers can be stacked into a “locked” stack. The locked stack provides even more structural rigidity than does the aligned stack and is useful when storing unused covers. The container cover includes a first closure portion, an engagement portion, and an alignment portion. The base includes a second closure portion. The first closure portion of the cover is sealingly engageable with the second closure portion of the base to define a sealed storage area. The alignment portion of the cover is engageable with the alignment portion of a second cover to form an aligned cover stack. The engagement portion of the cover is engageable with the engagement portion of a second cover to form a locked cover stack.

Abstract: A central vacuum connectable to an interior portion of an inhabitable structure. The central vacuum system includes a housing having a first housing member and a second housing member secured to the first housing member. Together the first housing member and the second housing member at least partially define a collection chamber. A vacuum motor is supported by the housing and is operable to move debris from the interior portion into the collection chamber. An adapter extends into the collection chamber for supporting a bag. At least one of the bag and the adapter are accessible through an opening defined in one of the first housing member and the second housing member.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of operating a gaming apparatus. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of wagers made. The method also includes determining whether a prize event has occurred based on an outcome of a game play associated with the plurality of wagers made. Further, the method includes outputting prizes when the prize event occurs. Each of the prizes complies with a prize constraint limit, and a total value of the prizes is greater than a maximum per wager limit value. In addition, a totality of the prizes has a prize structure that is representative of a modeled prize structure of an apparatus that exceeds the prize constraint limit on a per wager basis.

Abstract: Methods of providing added security for communications between a server and a particular client modem on a shared communication media. The methods provide for passing communications containing scrambled keys to be used to form scrambling seeds for scrambling subsequent messages. In a preferred embodiment, both the server and the client modem generate and pass keys to be used for the communications between the server and that client modem to achieve a dynamic dual key scrambling system.

Abstract: Reflective WSS-based mesh nodes of degree N (i.e., nodes having N ports, where 3<=N<=6) are connected to provide a multiple wavelength channel signal with reciprocal connectivity between the N node ports. The WSS-based mesh nodes of degrees 3 and 4 are implemented using a reflective 1×K WSS, where K is at least equal to 3N-6. Also described are a partitioned degree-4 mesh node and a two-dimensional degree-4 mesh node. For degree-4 mesh nodes, one or more 1×2 directional couplers are used. The degree-5 and -6 nodes are designed by enforcing a symmetric demand constraint and require five 1×4 WSSs and six 1×5 WSSs, respectively. The WSS based degree-3 to -6 mesh nodes offer reduced size and cost.

Abstract: An active coating system capable of collecting, analyzing, managing and adapting to data and/or its environment in real time. An exemplary embodiment of our inventive active coating system is corrosion resistant and includes a flexible sensor layer, a switch layer and a visual display layer. Operationally, the flexible sensor layer senses particular environmental conditions and the visual display layer provides visual indication of the condition(s) sensed.

Abstract: A oil shale formation may be treated using an in situ thermal process. A mixture of hydrocarbons, H2, and/or other formation fluids may be produced from the formation. Heat may be applied to the formation to raise a temperature of a portion of the formation to a pyrolysis temperature. Heat sources may be used to heat the formation. The heat sources may be positioned within the formation in a selected pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wide-sense, non-blocking WDM cross-connect that utilizes a relatively small number of wavelength interchangers. The cross-connect of the present invention comprises first, second and third fabrics and one or more wavelength interchangers that interconnect the first and second fabrics. Demands that require a change in wavelength are routed through the first fabric, through one or more of the wavelength interchangers, and through the second fabric. Demands that do not require a change in wavelength are only routed through the third fabric. A routing algorithm is utilized to ensure that any sequence of connection requests and withdrawals can be routed without disturbing any currently routed requests.

Abstract: A method for exchanging routing information between I-BGP routers within an autonomous system (AS) advantageously enables a solution to both persistent route oscillation problems and transient route oscillation problems which may occur when using I-BGP in a given AS. Conventional I-BGP protocol techniques are extended by enabling I-BGP speakers (e.g., routers) to communicate a set of possible best paths to a given destination, rather than communicating only a single best path, to each of their I-BGP peers within the given AS. Specifically, a plurality of possible best paths to a destination are communicated (where there are in fact more than one) from an I-BGP speaker in a given AS to its I-BGP peers (within the given AS), for each neighboring AS that provides any such paths (i.e., routes to the destination).

Abstract: The container includes a base and a detachable cover. To releasably attach the base and cover, the base includes a first closure portion and the cover includes an engagable second closure portion. In one aspect, the first and second closure portions are configured for engagement in both a fully engaged position and an intermediately engaged position. In the intermediately engaged position, the container can be further configured to vent steam during, for example, microwaving. In another aspect, the container including the first and second closure portions can be configured for simplified engagement of the base and cover, preferably by enabling engagement via a downward push applied to the center of the cover. In yet another aspect, the first and second closure portions can be configured with diverging flanges that simplify detachment of the base and cover.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bitumen bale capsule, capsule dispenser and bale strip former for viscous bitumen products comprising a bitumen bale capsule; a capsule dispenser (L) in order to position the said PE encapsulating capsule inline with a plurality of dispensing valves (F) and a plurality of forming nozzles (M); a bitumen bale strip former for converting the said round PE encapsulated tubes into flat strips suitable for baling. The overall function of the said bitumen bale capsule is to encapsulate viscous bituminous products forcing through the internal core of the said capsule. The said products exiting the said encapsulation process in the form of a PE round tube are converted into a flat strip suitable for baling utilizing both of the said capsule dispenser and the said bale strip former.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the contact-less medicine delivery, more particularly to the delivery of medicine via mucosal (oral, nasal, eyeball) for precise, damage-free surface delivery, for more effective penetration of the medicine (vaccine) via mucosal, which is very important for activating immune cells. The method involves accumulating the required amount of the liquid in an elastic tube and expelling this liquid in the direction of the mucosal surface. The fluid is expelled in the course of impact caused by mechanical or electrical forces. This system may be cheap and completely disposable. This fact is very important for mass vaccination. This system can be most effectively used for the delivery of medicine to the eye as one of the body's most sensitive surfaces.

Abstract: An in situ process for treating a diatomite formation is provided. The process may include providing heat from one or more heaters to at least a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the one or more heaters to a part of the formation such that heat from the one or more heat sources pyrolyzes at least some hydrocarbons within the part. Hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

Abstract: A method for treating a relatively permeable formation containing heavy hydrocarbons in situ may include providing heat from one or more heat sources to a portion of the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heat sources to a selected section of the formation. The transferred heat may pyrolyze at least some hydrocarbons within the selected section. A mixture of hydrocarbons may be produced from the selected section. In some embodiments, pressure may be controlled to produce a desired property in the produced mixture.

Abstract: An active coating system capable of collecting, analyzing, managing and adapting to data and/or its environment in real time. An exemplary embodiment of our inventive active coating system is corrosion resistant and includes a flexible sensor layer, a switch layer and a visual display layer. Operationally, the flexible sensor layer senses particular environmental conditions and the visual display layer provides visual indication of the condition(s) sensed.