Abstract: An umbrella assembly is provided that includes a frame, a canopy, an extension and a base. The frame includes a post and top piece, a number of arms, a number of connectors, a lift ring and a locking pin. The post includes a number of rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation with a top piece which rotatably attaches to each of a number of arms each arm having a number of arm rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation. Each arm is rotatably attached to one end of a connector. The other end of each connector is rotatably attached to the lift ring. Raising and lowering the lift ring opens and closes the umbrella arms. The locking pin holds the lift ring in an upper position.

Abstract: A method to analyze popularity of user defined topics by identifying correlations between grams contained in user identified anchor documents and the grams contained in raw documents is provided. The method includes following steps: (a) a user input data that includes (i) user identified topics for user identified subject matter, (ii) user identified topical anchor documents, and (iii) a plurality of user identified raw documents internet source with respective source addresses; (b) the raw document sources is accessed using the source addresses to retrieve and store data in a database; (c) grams and gram document dictionaries together with gram values for each topical anchor document and raw document are identified and stored; and (d) the grams in each of the topical anchor documents against the grams in all the raw documents are analyzed to determine a relative popularity of the topical anchor documents.

Abstract: An umbrella assembly is provided that includes a frame, a canopy, an extension and a base. The frame includes a post and top piece, a number of arms, a number of connectors, a lift ring and a locking pin. The post includes a number of rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation with a top piece which rotatably attaches to each of a number of arms each arm having a number of arm rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation. Each arm is rotatably attached to one end of a connector. The other end of each connector is rotatably attached to the lift ring. Raising and lowering the lift ring opens and closes the umbrella arms. The locking pin holds the lift ring in an upper position.

Abstract: A method to analyze popularity of user defined topics by identifying correlations between grams contained in user identified anchor documents and the grams contained in raw documents is provided. The method includes following steps: (a) a user input data that includes (i) user identified topics for user identified subject matter, (ii) user identified topical anchor documents, and (iii) a plurality of user identified raw documents internet source with respective source addresses; (b) the raw document sources is accessed using the source addresses to retrieve and store data in a database; (c) grams and gram document dictionaries together with gram values for each topical anchor document and raw document are identified and stored; and (d) the grams in each of the topical anchor documents against the grams in all the raw documents are analyzed to determine a relative popularity of the topical anchor documents.

Abstract: An image processing system and/or method obtains source images in which a damaged vehicle is represented, and performs image processing techniques to determine, predict, estimate, and/or detect damage that has occurred at various locations on the vehicle. The image processing techniques may include generating a composite image of the damaged vehicle, aligning and/or isolating the image, applying convolutional neural network techniques to the image to generate damage parameter values, where each value corresponds to damage in a particular location of vehicle, and/or other techniques. Based on the damage values, the image processing system/method generates and displays a heat map for the vehicle, where each color and/or color gradation corresponds to respective damage at a respective location on the vehicle. The heat map may be manipulatable by the user, and may include user controls for displaying additional information corresponding to the damage at a particular location on the vehicle.

Abstract: An umbrella assembly is provided that includes a frame, a canopy, an extension and a base. The frame includes a post and top piece, a number of arms, a number of connectors, a lift ring and a locking pin. The post includes a number of rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation with a top piece which rotatably attaches to each of a number of arms each arm having a number of arm rod members attached together in adjacent parallel space orientation. Each arm is rotatably attached to one end of a connector. The other end of each connector is rotatably attached to the lift ring. Raising and lowering the lift ring opens and closes the umbrella arms. The locking pin holds the lift ring in an upper position.

Abstract: An umbrella frame has a post, a number of arms, a number of connecting rods, a lift ring and a ring lock. The post has a number of aligned wire elements connected to each other along their length with a number of post spacers. Each arm has at least two aligned wire elements connected together along their length with a number of arm spacers. Each arm is connected to the top of the post and rotates upward from a closed position along the post to an upward open position and back. The lift ring slides up and down the post to open and close the umbrella frame. Each connection rod is connected to the lift ring at one end and the other end to a mid-point on each respective arm. The ring lock secures the lift ring to the post in the open position.

Abstract: A method to analyze popularity of user defined topics by identifying correlations between grams contained in user identified anchor documents and the grams contained in raw documents is provided. The method includes following steps: (a) a user input data that includes (i) user identified topics for user identified subject matter, (ii) user identified topical anchor documents, and (iii) a plurality of user identified raw documents internet source with respective source addresses; (b) the raw document sources is accessed using the source addresses to retrieve and store data in a database; (c) grams and gram document dictionaries together with gram values for each topical anchor document and raw document are identified and stored; and (d) the grams in each of the topical anchor documents against the grams in all the raw documents are analyzed to determine a relative popularity of the topical anchor documents.

Abstract: An umbrella frame comprising a post having a top end and a bottom end, a plurality of arms coupled to the post proximally at its top end, a movable lift ring mounted circumferentially around the post and a plurality of modular connectors each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected at an intermediate location of an arm and the second end is connected to the lift ring and wherein the post comprises of a plurality of first wires bound to each other with a plurality of first spacers and each arm comprises of a plurality of second wires bound to each other with a plurality of second spacers and a locking element engages the post and the lift ring to open the plurality of arms.

Abstract: An optical fiber communication system has an optical fiber extending along a communication path between spaced stations. The stations include transmitting and receiving units, or combined transmitter and receiver units at each station. Each transmitter unit is designed to produce information signals on one or more different topics, and is associated with one light source for each topic of information assigned to that station. The light sources produce output light signals modulated by the information signals, and these light signals are coupled to the optical fiber. The light sources are of different frequencies, and each topic of information to be communicated is assigned to a predetermined light frequency, so that all light signals at a certain frequency carry only information on the one topic assigned to that frequency. Each receiver unit includes a filter for filtering out signals at one or more of the frequencies and a decoder for extracting the information from the filtered signal.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge has tape spools rotatably mounted in the cartridge, and a belt drive assembly for driving the tape back and forth between the spools. The drive assembly includes three roller supporting pins, a driving roller rotatably mounted on one of the pins and a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted on the other pins, and an endless drive belt extending around the rollers to contact tape on each spool. The cartridge has an opening for entry of a drive roller to engage and drive the belt driving roller so as to move the drive belt and drive tape back and forth between the spools. The drive roller mounting pin has a recess extending over at least a portion of the pin facing the drive opening for reducing the bearing surface area between the pin and driving roller so as to reduce the tangential drive force needed to rotate the driving roller.

Abstract: A belt-driven tape cartridge has tape spools rotatably mounted in the cartridge, and a belt drive assembly for driving the tape back and forth between the spools. The drive assembly includes three roller supporting pins, a driving roller rotatably mounted on one of the pins and a pair of guide rollers rotatably mounted on the other pins, and an endless drive belt extending around the rollers to contact tape on each spool. The cartridge has an opening for entry of a drive roller to engage and drive the belt driving roller so as to move the drive belt and drive tape back and forth between the spools. The drive roller mounting pin has a recess extending over at least a portion of the pin facing the drive opening for reducing the bearing surface area between the pin and driving roller so as to reduce the tangential drive force needed to rotate the driving roller.

Abstract: A tape alignment device for a tape cartridge having a tape head opening in its front wall is a one-piece guide member having spaced guide surfaces for guiding tape in a predetermined path between the guide surfaces. The guide surfaces are connected together in a fixed orientation relative to one another by a rigid connecting piece. A securing mechanism such as one or more mounting posts is provided on the guide member for mounting the guide member in a tape cartridge with the guide surfaces positioned one on each side of the tape head opening and in a fixed orientation relative to the base of the cartridge.

Abstract: An improved stopper apparatus for bottles, such as wine bottles, which prevents contamination of the contents therein. The improved stopper apparatus comprises a stopper plug, a bladder attached thereto, a venting valve for venting gas within the bottle, a pump for inflating the bladder and a reservoir valve and inert gas reservoir. The bladder is inserted into the bottle and the stopper plug secured within the neck thereof. The bladder is filled within the bottle forcing the gas therein to escape through the venting valve. The stopper apparatus is adapted to enable a small quantity of heavy inert gas to be deposited into the bottle from the inner gas reservoir prior to filling the bladder, whereby to form a protective layer of inert gas over the surface of the bottle's contents.