Abstract: A stove vent and canopy positionable above a cooking surface to any of a plurality of positions between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position. In a fully retracted position, the vent is positionable immediately adjacent to the surface allowing for venting of cooking vapors without blocking the user's view over the stove. Telescoping to the fully extended to position places the vent over the cooking surface and may employ a clear backsplash to continue to maintain the user's view behind the cooking surface.

Abstract: A system includes an acoustic input engine configured to accept a speech input, to recognize phonemes of the speech input, and to create word strings based on the recognized phonemes. The system includes a semantic engine coupled to the acoustic engine and operable to identify actions and to identify objects by parsing the word strings. The system also includes an action-object pairing system to identify a dominant entry from the identified actions and the identified objects, to select a complement to the dominant entry from the identified actions and the identified objects, and to form an action-object pair that includes the dominant entry and the complement. The system further includes an action-object routing table operable to provide a routing destination based on the action-object pair. The system also includes a call routing module to route a call to the routing destination.

Abstract: A method for processing a call is disclosed. The method receives a speech input via a call and transforms at the speech input into a textual format. The method also creates a list of salient terms of actions and objects from the text, adjusts the confidence level of objects on the list if the dominant term is an action and selects a complimentary object from the list to combine with the action to form an action-object pair. The method further adjusts a confidence level of actions on the list if the dominant term is an object and selects a complementary action from the list to combine with the action to form the action-object pair, and routes the call based on the action-object pair.

Abstract: A system and method of targeted tuning of a speech recognition system are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a frequency of occurrence of a particular type of utterance method and includes determining whether the frequency of occurrence exceeds a threshold. The method further includes tuning a speech recognition system to improve recognition of the particular type of utterance when the frequency of occurrence of the particular type of utterance exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: An optical protection switch and a method for optical protection switching are provided. The optical protection switch includes a loop mirror-based optical switch with two circulators and a direction-dependent phase shifter in the loop mirror. The direction-dependent phase shifter introduces phase shifts in counter-propagating optical signals in the loop mirror such that either one of a first optical signal and a second optical signal are switched as an output optical signal. The direction-dependent phase shifter is controlled by a controller which initiates switching from the first optical signal to the second optical signal if a drop in power level is detected in the first optical signal and a corresponding drop in power level is not detected in the second optical signal and vice versa.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus and program for effecting the decomposition of organic waste material comprises: providing a treatment tank for decomposition of organic waste material, the treatment tank containing an active biomass comprising at least one bacteria that decomposes organic material; providing at least two inlets to the treatment tank, a first inlet comprising an inlet for organic material and a second inlet comprising an inlet for an aqueous stream; a processor that receives and stores information on: the status of chemical oxygen demand of the active biomass; and the oxygen provision capability of a first organic material that can be fed into the treatment tank through the first inlet; a mass flow control system controlled by the processor which feeds the at least one organic material through the first inlet at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the treatment tank as recognized by the processor.

Abstract: We describe an electronic document reader system for viewing electronic documents, in which the electronic documents are viewable on a removable electronic document reader display that is useable whilst removed from an electronic document reader display holder. The system comprises: a removable non-volatile display for viewing electronic documents thereon, the display having a display portion on which electronic documents are viewable; a display holder for receiving the removable display, the display holder comprising a back, and an open front shaped to receive the removable display, each of the display and the holder having an electrical interface, wherein, when the removable display is received in the open front, the removable display and holder form an electrically connected combined unit to enable the display to receive document data from the holder for display, and wherein the removable display is useable to read electronic documents when removed from the display holder.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for targeted tuning of a speech recognition system. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include deploying a speech recognition module to apply an appropriate interpretation to a plurality of utterance types. The method may also include accessing information representing a collection of recorded utterances and assigned interpretation for each of the plurality of recorded utterances. The assigned interpretation for each of the plurality of recorded utterances may then be compared to an accurate interpretation for each of the plurality of utterance, and a separate accuracy value may be determined for each of the plurality of utterance types. With some implementations, if the separate accuracy value for a given type of utterance is too low, a selection of utterances having the given type may be used to tune the speech recognition module.

Abstract: A filter for use in a storm water drain to prevent debris from reaching the outlet of the drain. The filter is adjustable to be sized for a range of flow capacities. The filter includes a main filter section having openings through which water flows. A pair of adjustable side grates project from the main filter section and are adaptive to be connected to the sidewall of a storm drain. Flow capacity of the filter can be varied by adjusting the effective width of the respective side grates.

Abstract: A system includes a network interface, a speech input conversion component, and a routing module. Speech input is received in connection with a call. At least a segment of the speech input is transformed into a first textual format. A first list of entries is generated based, at least partially, on consideration of the first textual format. The first list includes at least one action with a corresponding confidence level and at least one object with another corresponding confidence level. An entry of the first list having a higher corresponding confidence level is selected, and a second textual format is output. A second list is generated based, at least partially, on consideration of the selected entry and the second textual format. A routing option is suggested based on the selected entry and a pairing entry in the second list.

Abstract: A method and system for error prevention and recovery of voice activated navigation through a menu having plural nodes provides situation dependent utterance verification by relating confirmation to utterance determination confidence levels. In one embodiment, a high confidence level results in implicit confirmation, a medium confidence level results in explicit confirmation and a low confidence level results in a concise interrogative prompt of a single word that requests the user to repeat the utterance. In situations where voice recognition is difficult, dual modality with DTMF navigation is provided as an option for menu selections.

Abstract: A system and method for in-service optical dispersion determination are provided. Optical dispersion is determined by splitting a first optical signal into two components, introducing a time delay between the two components such that corresponding pulses of the two components partially overlap, combining the two components to generate a combined optical signal comprising a first component and a second component, determining power of the combined optical signal while applying a plurality of dispersion compensation values, in order to determine a dispersion compensation value that results in a minimum detected power of the combined optical signal. Polarization Mode Dispersion is determined by adjusting the time delay that is introduced until the power of the combined optical signal is substantially equal for all of the plurality of dispersion compensation values.

Abstract: An optical component package is disclosed. The package has a housing. The interior of the housing is adapted to house an optical component. The package includes at least two fiber optic connectors, each comprising an component side adapted to connect to the optical component and each having a pluggable exterior element. Each of the at least two fiber optic connectors are mounted in the housing with their component side accessible from the interior of the package and their pluggable exterior element accessible from the exterior.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus and program for effecting the decomposition of organic waste material comprises: providing a treatment tank for decomposition of organic waste material, the treatment tank containing an active biomass comprising at least one bacteria that decomposes organic material; providing at least two inlets to the treatment tank, a first inlet comprising an inlet for organic material and a second inlet comprising an inlet for an aqueous stream; a processor that receives and stores information on: the status of chemical oxygen demand of the active biomass; and the oxygen provision capability of a first organic material that can be fed into the treatment tank through the first inlet; a mass flow control system controlled by the processor which feeds the at least one organic material through the first inlet at a rate based at least in part upon the status of chemical oxygen demand in the treatment tank as recognized by the processor.

Abstract: A method for electroless plating of metal on a laser-patterned substrate. A substrate is provided on which both a thermal imaging layer and catalytic layer are deposited. On exposure to a laser beam, sufficient levels of radiation are converted to heat in the thermal imaging layer to render the exposed regions of the adjacent catalytic layer inactive. The laser-patterned substrate is then exposed to a reaction solution which initiates the growth of a metal film on the unexposed regions of the catalytic layer.

Abstract: A method for processing a call is disclosed. The method receives a speech input in connection with a call and transforms at least a segment of the speech input into a first textual format. The method also generates a first list of entries based, at least partially, on a consideration of the first textual format, the first list comprising at least one action with a corresponding confidence level and at least one object with another corresponding confidence level, selects an entry of the first list having a higher corresponding confidence level, outputs a second textual format. The method further generates a second list based, at least partially on consideration of the selected entry and the second textual format and suggesting a routing option for the call based on the selected entry and a pairing entry in the second list having a high corresponding confidence level.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a loose terrain traction assist device for wheeled vehicles, comprising a generally frusto-conical structure having a proximal portion with a diameter smaller than an overall diameter of a tire of a vehicle, a distal portion that extends outwardly from the wheel, and an outer surface defined between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The traction assist device also includes an attachment means for releasably coupling the frusto-conical structure to a wheel assembly of the vehicle, such that at least part of the frusto-conical structure is adapted to engage with terrain during operation of the vehicle in loose terrain and to not engage with terrain during operation of the vehicle on normal terrain.

Abstract: A liquefied natural gas (LNG) sump is provided for a gravity based structure (GBS). The sump includes a sump containment structure having a predetermined volume and floor surface area. The volume and floor surface area are selected in order to allow spilled LNG contained within the sump containment structure to vaporize at a predetermined, safe rate. A trough is provided for collecting spilled LNG on the GBS, such as at the processing area and on a jetty, and delivering the spilled LNG to the sump containment structure.

Abstract: An optical protection switch and a method for optical protection switching are provided. The optical protection switch includes a loop mirror-based optical switch with two circulators and a direction-dependent phase shifter in the loop mirror. The direction-dependent phase shifter introduces phase shifts in counter-propagating optical signals in the loop mirror such that either one of a first optical signal and a second optical signal are switched as an output optical signal. The direction-dependent phase shifter is controlled by a controller which initiates switching from the first optical signal to the second optical signal if a drop in power level is detected in the first optical signal and a corresponding drop in power level is not detected in the second optical signal and vice versa.

Abstract: A selective WDM add-channel system and method for adding channels to a WDM (wavelength division multiplexed) signal input to produce a WDM signal output while protecting against signal collisions are provided. The method protects against signal collisions by determining channel wavelengths of add-channel signals and at least one of the WDM signal input and the WDM signal output to ensure that channels that are added to the WDM signal input have different channel wavelength than each other and the channels that are already part of the WDM signal input. The selective WDM add-channel system comprises a selective combiner and a controller and is operable to selectively combine a plurality of add-channel inputs with a WDM input signal to produce a WDM output signal based on the channel wavelengths of the add-channel input signals and at least one of the WDM input signal and the WDM output signal.