Abstract: Techniques for utilizing an unused space on a connector are disclosed, where the connector is commonly seen in a multi-wire cable. The connector itself includes at least one major surface. The surface includes a message, wherein the message gets gazed at by a user when the user slides the connector into a socket of a device. The message becomes invisible after the connector is fully positioned or inserted in the socket. A counter is provided to record a number of times the connector has been used in the socket. The counter may be used by a party to allocate a set of advertisements for the user in accordance with a profile thereof or as the number of times the message has been gazed by the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing charging stations for electric vehicles are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, an identity of a user driving a vehicle and contact information are obtained when the vehicle is detected to occupy a charging station or charger for charging the vehicle. The user is then periodically updated of the charging status and notified of the completion when the charging has reached to the full capacity of battery in the vehicle or a predefined charging level set by the user. A fee is assessed when the vehicle has not been removed from the charger after a predefined period (e.g., 5 minutes). As a result, a charging station or a charger can be used more efficiently as the demand for charging stations and the EVs are getting popular.

Abstract: Techniques for utilizing an unused space on a connector are disclosed, where the connector is commonly seen in a multi-wire cable. Such a cable is a multi-wire cable including a connector coupled at an end of the multi-wire cable. The connector itself includes a substrate with at least two major surfaces, each having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is typically used to dispose or accommodate an array of conductors. The second portion is used to include a message, wherein the message gets gazed at by a user when the user slides the connector into a socket of a device. The message becomes invisible after the connector is fully positioned or inserted in the socket.

Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.

Abstract: Posts or messages exchanges via data communication between client devices aw well as a client device and a server device over the Internet are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, a post is made to a targeted recipient who is encouraged to watch, read or listen to (collectively referred to as “access”) the post and compensated for accessing the post. Depending on situation, the post can be made directly to the recipient via messaging or published to a whitewall for access by one or a group of selected contacts.

Abstract: Optical compensation films (positive C-plate) with mesogen anisotropic subunits (OASUs) that have high positive birefringence throughout the wavelength range 400 nm<?<800 nm are provided. The optical compensation films may be processed by solution casting to yield a polymer film with high birefringence without the need for stretching, photopolymerization, or other processes. Such optical compensation films are suitable for use as a positive C-plate in LCDs, particularly IPS-LCDs.

Abstract: The present invention provides uniaxially stretched polymer films that have a refractive index profile suitable for use as negative A-plates or biaxial birefringent plates in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. These wave plates can be used to compensate for the phase retardations existing in various modes of LCDs including TN (twisted nematic), VA (vertically aligned), IPS (in-plane switching), and OCB (optically compensated bend), and therefore improving the viewing quality of the displays.

Abstract: Techniques for synchronizing personal contact information with or from different sources are disclosed. Through a website (i.e., a server or system), all fractional personal contact information is consolidated, synchronized, processed or updated. In return, any of the resources may be synchronized to get a copy of the latest version of the contact information. When contacts in a list by a registered user are also registered with the server, any of the contacts may update their respective contact information that can be timely reflected in the list. As a result, the registered user always has a latest version of the contact information for some or all of his/her contacts without even knowing some has already been changed or updated. Based on the contact information, other features including proof delivery of emails, recycling of deleted contacts, a “black” list, contact relationship levels and anonymous email, short messaging and calls are provided.

Abstract: Techniques for capturing images of business cards, uploading the images to a designated computing device for processing and recognition are disclosed. In one implementation, a transmission means is provided to transport the images to the designated computing device for centralized management of integrated contact information for a registered user, where the images are recognized and extracted data from the business cards are entered as new records in a contact list of the registered user. Each of the givers of the business cards are notified by a designated device to establish a link with the registered user.

Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A multilayer optical retardation compensation film having at least one positive C-plate and at least one negative C-plate is used in an LCD device. The multilayer film may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve, or the multilayer film combined with other layers in the LCD device may have a substantially flat wavelength dispersion curve. Polymer films for the positive C-plate may be identified according to their absorbance maxima at certain wavelength ranges.

Abstract: Techniques for synchronizing personal contact information with or from different sources are disclosed. Through a website (i.e., a server or system), all fractional personal contact information is consolidated, synchronized, processed or updated. In return, any of the resources may be synchronized to get a copy of the latest version of the contact information. When contacts in a list by a registered user are also registered with the server, any of the contacts may update their respective contact information that can be timely reflected in the list. As a result, the registered user always has a latest version of the contact information for some or all of his/her contacts without even knowing some has already been changed or updated. Based on the contact information, other features including proof delivery of emails, recycling of deleted contacts, a “black” list, contact relationship levels and anonymous email, short messaging and calls are provided.

Abstract: Techniques for exchanging messages among established contacts are disclosed. Through a server or system, a registered user can post messages from his/her cellular phones or personal data assistants as a mobile blog. Depending on preference set by the user, the messages may be posted privately or publically. When the messages are private, the user can use the messages to create his/her journal. When the messages are public, the user allows his established contacts to comment on the messages originated by the user to create a message exchanging environment among the contacts, where the contacts are already established with the user.

Abstract: A reconfigurable type of flash memory-based storage device is disclosed. The flash memory-based storage device provides a plurality of mechanisms to accommodate a number of flash memory cards. As the storage capacity of the flash memory cards is increased over the time, so does the flash memory-based storage device by replacing only the flash memory cards.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate a system to capture, process, and archive a series of user interactive events and subsequently retrieve the stored user interactive events are disclosed. The captured information is indexed and stored for future access either on a terminal device or an accessible remote server device.

Abstract: Techniques for capturing images of business cards, uploading the images to a designated computing device for processing and recognition are disclosed. A mechanism is provided to update extracted data from the images when there are any changes. Depending on implementation, there are a number of ways to capture images of business cards (e.g., via a phone camera, a PC camera, or a scanning device). A transmission means is provided to transport the images to the designated computing device for centralized management of integrated contact information for individual users. As a result, a user may access his/her updatable integrated contact information database anywhere anytime from a chosen device.

Abstract: Techniques for mobile devices to receive real-time digital TV are disclosed. To make such mobile devices (e.g., smart phones) readily usable regardless of what standard a local TV broadcast may comply with, more than one demodulators are provided. Each of the demodulators is implemented in accordance with one type of TV standard. Based on the received TV signal, a corresponding demodulator is activated to demodulate the TV signal. In one embodiment, the demodulators are implemented in software modules. Thus a missing demodulator may be downloaded from a designated site when a mobile device is configured to detect that a new demodulator needs installed to process a received TV signal.

Abstract: A monitoring system for vehicles is disclosed. At least two cameras are disposed around a vehicle to generate videos or images representing surrounding scenes in which the vehicle is present. Video streams from the cameras are transported via wired means or wireless means to a video processing system. Depending on applications, the video streams are processed to be collectively displayed on a screen (e.g., on the dashboard of the vehicle), analyzed to assist the driver of the vehicle to perform a task, stored in a storage device of limited capacity, or transported to a remote server for remote assistance or analysis.

Abstract: Optical compensation films (positive C-plate) with disk anisotropic subunits (OASUs) that have high positive birefringence throughout the wavelength range 400 nm<?<800 nm are provided. The optical compensation films may be processed by solution casting to yield a polymer film with high birefringence without the need for stretching, photopolymerization, or other processes. Such optical compensation films are suitable for use as a positive C-plate in LCDs, particularly IPS-LCDs.

Abstract: Techniques for capturing images of business cards, uploading the images to a designated computing device for processing and recognition are disclosed. A mechanism is provided to update extracted data from the images when there are any changes. Depending on implementation, there are a number of ways to capture images of business cards (e.g., via a phone camera, a PC camera, or a scanning device). A transmission means is provided to transport the images to the designated computing device for centralized management of integrated contact information for individual users. As a result, a user may access his/her updatable integrated contact information database anywhere anytime from a chosen device.