Abstract: There is disclosed a method and kit providing a crafts experience for a novice artist in assembling a customized belt buckle. The kit may comprise a planar frame, a set of dissimilar inlays each preconfigured for mounting to the frame, a set of fasteners, and instructions. The planar frame may include a raised perimeter, an open center, and a frame channel adjacent to at least a portion of the raised perimeter. The frame channel may be recessed below a front edge of the raised perimeter and include one or more mounting holes. The dissimilar inlays may each include a decorative face mountable flush with the front edge of the raised perimeter. Fasteners may be provided for securing the inlays selected to the frame via the one or more mounting holes. The instructions may direct the novice artist on how to assemble the belt buckle and thereby fulfill the crafts experience.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the retroreflectivity of a surface. The apparatus comprises a light source for illuminating an area of said surface at an incident angle relative to the surface; a detector for detecting light reflected back from the surface at an observation angle relative to the surface; a signal processing unit adapted to receive a detector signal from the detector and to determine, from at least the received detector signal, a measure of retro reflectivity of the surface; a range finder for measuring a distance between the apparatus and the illuminated area. The signal processing unit is further adapted to adjust the measure of retroreflectivity responsive to the measured distance.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the retroreflectivity of a surface. The apparatus comprises a light source for illuminating an area of said surface at an incident angle relative to the surface; a detector for detecting light reflected back from the surface at an observation angle relative to the surface; a signal processing unit adapted to receive a detector signal from the detector and to determine, from at least the received detector signal, a measure of retro reflectivity of the surface; a range finder for measuring a distance between the apparatus and the illuminated area. The signal processing unit is further adapted to adjust the measure of retroreflectivity responsive to the measured distance.

Abstract: A quality processing system comprises an interface and a processing system. The interface is configured to receive a first quality message from a wireless end device in the first region wherein the first quality message indicates a first quality metric of the first region during the session, and receive a session quality message indicating a session quality metric for the session. The processing system is configured to process the first quality metric with the session quality metric to determine if the session problem occurred in the first region or the second region, generate an isolation message indicating in which of the first region or second region the problem occurred, and transfer the isolation message.

Abstract: A method of operating a service provider network comprising selecting a first access network from a plurality of access networks, transmitting first traffic for a first service from a testing system in the service provider network to the first access network over a first virtual connection between the testing system and the first access network wherein the first traffic indicates a first subscriber of the first access network as the origin of the first traffic and the testing system as the destination of the first traffic, receiving second traffic for the first service into the testing system from the first access network over a first service connection wherein the second traffic indicates the first subscriber as the origin of the second traffic and the testing system as the destination of the second traffic, and processing the second traffic to test the first service.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a method of operating a remote testing access system. The method comprises receiving a test request from a test device over an incoming time division multiplexed (TDM) connection and in a TDM format wherein the test request indicates a one of a plurality of types of tests to perform on a soft switch, processing the test request to select a one of a plurality of service applications of the soft switch corresponding to the one type of test, and transmitting communications for the one type of test to the one service application in a packet format.

Abstract: A method of operating a communication system for providing packet services, the method comprising receiving a session setup request for a session, processing the session setup request to select an end point for the session, determining a first resource group of a plurality of resource groups associated with the end point, determining a first profile of a plurality of profiles of the resource group, determining if the session will violate the first profile, and generating an authorization message for the session in response to determining that the session will not violate the first profile.

Abstract: A session border controller is configured to receive a first session quality message for a session transferred from an origination device in an access provider network to a gateway in the service provider network, receive a second session quality message for the session transferred from the gateway to the origination device, and transfer the first session quality message and the second session quality message to a quality correlation system. The quality correlation system is configured to receive the first session quality message and the second session quality message from the session border controller, receive signaling information for the session, process the signaling information with the first session quality message and the second session quality message to determine a session status message for the session, and transfer the session status message to a client device. The client device is configured to receive and display the session status message.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the invention, the CTCS is configured to receive a correlation request for a first service session from a client device and process the correlation request to select a first traffic collection system (TCS) and a second TCS. The CTCS also generates a collection request and transmits the collection request for the first service session to the first TCS and the second TCS. The CTCS then receives a first collection response from the first TCS indicating first data for the first service session, and receives a second collection response from the second TCS indicating second data for the first service session. The CTCS then processes the first data and the second data to generate a correlation response and transfers the correlation response to the client device indicating the first and second data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring light reflections of an object, comprising a light-source illumination-observation assembly, the assembly comprising: (A) an illumination unit comprising an illumination light source and illumination aperture stop being arranged to provide a confined luminous field, an illumination field stop (307) adapted to provide an illumination beam (305) of light from said confined luminous field, an collimating optical element (309) adapted to collimate said illumination beam and to provide an illumination field (313) on an object; (B) an observation unit comprising: at least one observation field stop adapted to provide an observation beam (306) comprising a ray boundary, at least one focusing optical element (309) adapted to focus said observation beam, an observation light receiver; and (C) at least one common optical element (309) arranged so that said illumination beam and said observation beam form an overlap therein; and (D) a unit separation stop (310) adapted to stop light

Abstract: An improved elongated gutter system for mounting under the edge of a roof of a structure for receiving water run-off in preference to leaves and debris. The gutter system includes a back support wall having a top and a bottom for mounting against a wall of the structure. A trough is joined to the bottom of the back support wall. A shield is joined with the top of the back support wall and has a free front end. The shield forms a continuous surface that extends from the back support wall and turns inward over the trough before ending, so that rain, leaves and debris move downward over said shield with the rain entering the trough and the leaves and debris passing beyond the trough. The improvement resides in a reinforcing fold-over edge on the free front end of the shield, wherein the fold-over edge is generally parallel to the trough.