Abstract: A compact clamp design includes an upper and a lower arm fitted with gripping pads at respective front ends and hinged together at respective back ends. The rearward positioned hinge enables the clamp to open very wide since the hinge and the gripping pads are relatively very far apart. An operating handle integrated as part of an upper arm. When the clamp is closed there are no protruding members. The clamp is very compact and minimally obtrusive.

Abstract: User selectable methods are disclosed for paying for programming provided in association with an affiliate network operator. A playtime account is assigned to a user, a tuner or a device to track the cost of programming used and payments to cover the cost thereof. Use of a tuner causes depletion in value of the playtime account. Various means of payment are disclosed including audio/video commercials within the programming, email ads delivered in a separate time and space or situation from the programming, benefits for purchases and survey responses, and subscription fees. A user may select a level of identity in receiving advertising, including anonymous receipt of programming, resulting in a user selectable level of ad targeting. A feature of the invention is to acknowledge the value of a user disclosed identity and to compensate the user in proportion to that disclosure with predictably valuable programming services.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which access files which are mirrored between at least a first storage device and a second storage device by determining if an access of the first storage device is by a process for mirroring files between the first storage device and the second storage device and assuming a privileged user level for the process for mirroring files so that the access to the first storage device is performed at the privileged user level if the access is by the process for mirroring files. By assuming a privileged user level, the process for mirroring files may have access to the files to mirror, preferably, irrespective of the permissions assigned to a file by the owner of a file.

Abstract: A personal tool carrying device provides improvements in manufacture and appearance. A hook includes an integrally formed head end that is supported by ribs of a slot of a housing. A friction cap preferably surrounds the head end to hold the hook in a selected rotational position. The head end and friction cap are held in a cavity of the housing by a mounting element such as a belt clip. The housing swivels in relation to the mounting element. The device provides various surfaces for product identifying information.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided which assure access to files which are mirrored between at least a first storage device and a second storage device by controlling access to the first and second storage devices so that owners of files which are to be mirrored between the first and the second storage devices are within a common user group. A predefined set of permissions are established for the common user group and permissions of members of the common user group are forced to the predefined set of permissions. Thus, files and directories owned by members of the common user group will be forced to have the permissions of the common user group. Files and directories owned by members of the common user group are mirrored between the first and the second storage devices.

Abstract: A slide switch adjustable wrench uses a laminated steel construction method that includes a stepped surface to form a guide for the worm gear driven moving jaw. A molded or similarly formed body is sandwiched between the steel housing sides to form a sturdy structure. The body provides cavities, bearings and other features to support and guide moving parts within. A rack and pinion drive system uses simple molded gears to amplify about 2 inches of switch travel into about 6 turns of the worm gear. An overmolded rubber edge grip bonds to the body to create a recess in the body; this recess seamlessly fits the steel sides to form a smooth continuously contoured grip surface.

Abstract: A bar clamp operates by squeezing a handle to close a jaw. The improvements of the present invention include: low actuation force, two speed action to provide both high speed closing and high force clamping, a removable bar to allow different length bars to be installed into one body, a side mounted bar release button which allows easy access and an increased handle stroke, and reinforced wedge elements.

Abstract: A portable cooling device includes an elongated chamber supported on a surface at an angle. The preferably cylindrical chamber holds a cylindrical bottle where an annular air space surrounds the bottle. The high efficiency design provides for adjusting the air direction with a one-piece pivotable outlet vent. A clamshell chamber made from two half-tubes allows easy plastic molding and access to the chamber interior for cleaning and for removal of the condensate tray. The integrated monolithic shape of the device fully encloses the working parts for a clean sanitary look.

Abstract: A method of near real time assembly of personalized playlists wherein a limited number of broadcast streams of programming content are assembled into a much larger number of unique playlists. The broadcast streams are available to the user by means of the Internet or other wired or wireless data system, from within or without a cooperative network. Component items from the broadcast streams are buffered at or near a user and identified for potential use as substitutes in a base channel selected by the user. The candidate substitute items are not identified to the user unless and until they are actually played in the personalized playlist. A unique personalized playlist is locally assembled for the user from generic publicly available streams while no uniquely originated stream is required. A customizer directs the assembly of the playlist according to one or both of the preferences of the user, and the style of a station that streams a base channel from which the personal playlist may be assembled.

Abstract: An improved trigger to activate a switch for power actuated devices is disclosed. A one piece molded part provides a return spring and a trigger lock as an element of the trigger. Both the return spring and the lock include extended resilient portions to allow motion of the return spring and the lock in relation to the body of the trigger. Either one or both of the lock and the return spring may be a part of the trigger of the invention.

Abstract: A subscription system for the receipt of infotainment content such as audio programming is disclosed. A network operator enables a user to elect to pay a fee or to agree to receive email-advertising messages for continuing permission to access content. If email ads are elected, the ads are sent to the user's email address in a separate time and/or space from the content. The email ads are linked by at least one of subject and occurrence to the user's activities in accessing content. A user ID identifiable to the network operator links the email ads and content accessed by the user. The email ads are sent to a user system that may be disconnected from the system that provides the user's infotainment experience. The email ads may be sent as a single message under a subject heading, or as part of a bundle of ads combined under a single subject heading. Bundled ads are normally individually less costly to advertisers than single ads.

Abstract: A method for searching, selecting, and playing audio program playlists. A station that is affiliated with a network of associated stations provides a top channel of programming which includes a default playlist. An alternate playlist is prepared as each item in the top channel is received by a listener. If the listener reacts to an item of the default playlist in a prescribed manner, the listener is automatically switched to a sidechannel where the alternate playlist is immediately started. The sidechannel is typically personalized based on a user preference that reflects how the top channel or the sidechannel has been modified. The sidechannel maintains the character of the station on whose top channel it is based. A further sidechannel may be created for a user of a station that reflects an alternate user preference at that respective station.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a bidding method used to prioritize advertising and search result listings delivered to users of the Internet and Internet related devices and services. Listing entities such as advertisers bid on lower level target points (key words) at a list service provider. The list service provider defines a set of upper level target points available for correlation to the lower level target points that are the subject of the listing entity's bid. The target points when combined with a value of a bid comprise a handle. When correlated to upper level target points, the value of the combined handles of the lower level target points form the value for the handles of the upper level target points. In this manner, the present invention creates additional meaning and context to a given bid. A listing entity need not discover or select every term that may be useful—the list service provider performs all or some of this correlating service.

Abstract: A method of accounting and payment for audio content played on a user device such as an Internet radio. Requested content is included in a process of message assembly where the content is divided into portions. The portions of content are attached to payment messages, where the value of a payment message and the value of its attached portion of content are similar. The payment message may be either a fee message or an advertising message. The fee message is deducted against a user account in proportion to the value of content that is delivered to the device. This account is credited by subscription payments. The advertising messages are credited to the account in lieu of subscription payments. The user may operate a selecting element of the device to opt for either of advertising or fee messages, thus choosing in real time which type of payment to use for currently playing content.

Abstract: An incentive benefit program compensates users for viewing advertising, participating in surveys and similar activities. A user releases no inherently valuable information, such as an email or home address or credit card number, to any additional entities to receive benefits. The user remains substantially anonymous to the benefit provider, providing an identity for an account that is not directly usable by a third party for contacting the user or for gaining monetarily from the user. Such less valuable account identities may include numbers for programs for frequent flyers, video rental clubs, and grocery discount cards. Third parties that operate these programs may hold inherently valuable information about the user, however since the user already belongs to the program, no additional operators need gain this information. The user need disclose only a relatively non-valuable third party benefits account number to the benefit provider.

Abstract: An incentive benefit program compensates customers for viewing advertising and other activities while conducting business at a host merchant. The compensation is in the form of an immediate discount toward goods and/or services at the host merchant. The discount may be a reduction in the customer's bill, or additional product from the merchant. For example a customer may respond to ads on a display terminal of a gasoline pump while dispensing gas. The customer can then immediately receive additional gas or a reduced cost for the gas dispensed. A user releases no inherently valuable information, such as an email or home address or credit card number, to any entities to receive benefits. The user remains anonymous to the benefit provider and others. According to the invention a customer easily obtains benefits anonymously while the host merchant earns loyalty from such minimally identified customers.

Abstract: A method and system in a data processing system are disclosed for the dedication of memory storage locations. The data processing system includes a kernel space for executing software in kernel mode and a user space for executing software in user mode. An interface is established residing in the kernel space for interfacing between the kernel mode and the user mode. A determination is made that an application residing in user space is accessing the interface. In response to the application accessing the interface, a portion of main memory is dedicated for use by the application. The portion of main memory is used only by the application. In this manner, the application has dedicated the portion of main memory from user space.

Abstract: A Hookes universal joint assembly which, in a preferred embodiment, comprises two series connected universal joints to produce an angle change of 60.degree. to 70.degree.. A rigid housing confines input and output rotating drive shafts. In a preferred embodiment the yokes and cross members are formed as flat steel plates with tab-into-notch engagements. A method to retain an input shank and an end linkage to a drive shaft is disclosed. End linkages have parallel extending legs where the legs have protruding bumps at a distal end to engage exterior notched slots of input and output drive shafts. The drive shafts are identical in structure. An input shank is permanently held in a recess of the input drive shaft by engagement of a rib of the housing into a groove around the input shank.

Abstract: The multi-stage interconnection network of the present invention includes the use of switches in the first stage that have parallel path seeking capabilities. With these switches, a directed flash-flood can be instigated from any one node wherein multiple paths through the network to a designated destination node are tried in parallel in an attempt to find a connection path therebetween. The switches in the first and second stages are interconnected such that each switch in the first stage is connected with every possible priority level to the switches of the second stage. The parallel path seeking switches and network are further configured to test for rejection of the flash-flood by monitoring all connections in combination.