Abstract: The hands-free dental appliance includes upper and lower tray members (12, 14) for receiving the teeth of the user, the tray members having teeth contact members such as bristles. A power assembly (28) moves the tray member in a reciprocal manner, resulting in cleaning of the surfaces of the teeth by the bristles. A grounding system (30) with bite portions (32, 34, 36) for biting contact whereby the user's teeth grounds the appliance to the user's mouth structure, reacting both static and dynamic forces, the grounding system being either separate from the tray members or flexibly connected to the tray members, allowing the tray members to move and clean the teeth without the user having to hold or otherwise manipulate the appliance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for brewing coffee and producing other hot beverages are disclosed herein. An automated coffee vending kiosk configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a coffee brewing unit for brewing coffee and a cup dispensing portion. The cup dispensing portion can include a motor and a door operably coupled to the motor. The door can be moveable between a closed position and an open position to provide access to a cup storage area having a plurality of cups. A coffee dispensing portion can be positioned to dispense the coffee into an individual cup.

Abstract: A system obtains and transmits and stores information, including location information of a potential economic event associated with visual information provided locally with respect to a geolocator. The system may contain at least: an article intimately associated with an electromagnetically interrogatable geolocator a hand-held information receiving and transmitting device that can interrogate the geolocator such as a chip; the chip containing communicable information relating to the article; a distal server in wireless two-way communication with the hand-held information receiving and transmitting device, the distal server capable of receiving, storing and transmitting information from the chip transmitted through the hand-held device. Upon interrogation of the chip by the hand-held device, the hand-held device communicates data received in response from the interrogation of the chip to the server, the server containing information transmitted to and receive by the hand-held device.

Abstract: Techniques and design methodologies for using a single mask set to create devices of different sizes are disclosed. A mask with a plurality of tiles is disclosed. Each of the tiles has a number of fixed resource blocks, multiple logic blocks and is surrounded by a scribe region. The tiles may be connected to one or more adjacent tiles through interconnect lines that enable the fixed resource blocks and logic blocks in one tile to communicate with the fixed resource and logic blocks in an adjacent tile. The mask set may be used to produce devices of different sizes. Using a mask set that can handle a variety of design sizes with varying resources may in turn reduce mask cost.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for transmitting signals through a differential interface between circuits in different power supply domains. A driver circuit in a first power supply domain converts single-ended signals into differential signals. The driver circuit then transmits the differential signals to a receiver circuit in a second power supply domain. The receiver circuit converts the differential signals back into single-ended signals for transmission to circuit elements in the second power supply domain. The differential interface reduces the transmission of noise between circuit elements in the first power supply domain and circuit elements in the second power supply domain.

Abstract: Mobile POS techniques are presented. A POS interface is configured and distributed to a mobile device over a network connection. The POS interface is a self-contained retail transaction system for a retailer. The mobile device is configured to execute the retail transaction system providing remote network or cloud-based services for data retrieval, and data storage to the retail transaction system on the mobile device. One or more retail transactions are processed on the mobile device via the POS interface.

Abstract: A hidden image method comprising forming a set of carrier devices which when overlayed upon one another and aligned will reveal N images within a common area, the set of carrier devices being formed by: forming N latent images from respective ones of the N images and respective ones of N line decoders to hide the N images, each latent image being decodeable by the decoder from which the latent image is formed to reveal the image the latent image hides, the N latent images further formed such that the lines of the decoders cross one another within the common area at line angles displaced relative to one another so as to define a single axis of alignment; and forming each carrier device of the set of carrier devices by combining at least two items selected from the set of latent images and decoders so as not to decode any of the hidden images and such that the set of carrier devices includes all the latent images and all the decoders, whereby the set of carrier devices will reveal the N hidden images within the

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit is provided to facilitate communication between a microprocessor and a non-volatile memory. The integrated circuit comprises at least one lock status register, at least one control register and a memory controller. The lock status register comprises a plurality of lock status bits representing whether or not a corresponding unit of storage in the volatile memory has been locked. The control register stores configurable control information for the memory controller, including sizing information defining the size of the unit of storage. The memory controller is configured to receive a modification request to modify data in the non-volatile memory; determine a target unit of storage in the non-volatile memory based on a target memory address associated with the modification request; determine from the lock status register whether the target unit of storage has been locked; and implement the modification request only if the target unit storage has not been locked.

Abstract: An engine mounting apparatus having a yoke carrier block and a main mount block, the yoke carrier block being connectable to the main mount block, the main mount block being connected to the engine by at least one engine attachment link for transferring loads from an engine in a normal load path during normal operation of the engine mounting arrangement, characterized in that the yoke carrier block is connected to a further engine attachment link independently of the main mount block, the further engine attachment link being unloaded during normal operation of the engine mounting arrangement and arranged to transfer loads from the engine in the event of a failure of one or more components in the normal load path.

Abstract: A system and method for externally controlling the charging of a battery powered mobile computing device includes a charging unit configured to be electrically coupled to the mobile computing device to charge a battery therein. The charging unit comprises a charger configured to operate in a first mode to provide a constant charge current to the battery to be charged and to operate in a second mode to provide a constant charge voltage to the battery to be charged and where the switch from the first mode to the second mode occurs when the voltage at the battery a predefined threshold voltage. The charger including an offset compensator configured for applying an offset voltage to the measured output of the charger to maintain the charger in the first mode to compensate for voltage drops between the charger and the battery thereby allowing the battery voltage to reach the threshold voltage.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method create on-line obtainable coupons. The apparatus includes at least a first server enabling communication with a first class of third party on-line communicators. The first server receives proposed content on coupons from the first class of third party communicators, such as consumers, vendees and service users. The first server posts a list of proposed coupons, with or without modification of the proposed coupons after receipt from the first class of third-party on-line communicators. The server then enables access to the server to a second class of third party communicators. The server allows members of the second third party communicators to approve or disapprove of proposed coupons that are dedicated to business. This approval may be based on response in the form of voting, requests, a tally of positive and negative comments, or any other indicator that shows consumer interest in a proposed coupon.

Abstract: A method of managing communications received by a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) terminating at a residence associated with a subscriber is disclosed. The DSL is divided into one baseband line, one or more derived lines and a data connection. A query is received from a Service Control Point (SCP) for subscriber preferences for handling an incoming communication. The query is translated into an Internet Protocol (IP) message and communicated to a web server. A Common Gateway Interface (CGI) application module is invoked that corresponds to the particular type of communication being sent to the residence. The subscriber's preferences for handling the particular type of communication are retrieved from a database. Based on the retrieved preferences and invoked CGI application, call handling instructions are sent to the SCP.

Abstract: The hands-free dental appliance includes upper and lower tray members (12, 14) for receiving the teeth of the user, the tray members having teeth contact members such as bristles. A power assembly (28) moves the tray member in a reciprocal manner, resulting in cleaning of the surfaces of the teeth by the bristles. A grounding system (30) with bite portions (32, 34, 36) for biting contact whereby the user's teeth grounds the appliance to the user's mouth structure, reacting both static and dynamic forces, the grounding system being either separate from the tray members or flexibly connected to the tray members, allowing the tray members to move and clean the teeth without the user having to hold or otherwise manipulate the appliance.

Abstract: A method of calculating a system power distribution network impedance is presented. The impedance calculation calculates the impedance as separate elements of the printed circuit board (PCB). An approximation of the power and ground via inductance of the printed circuit board is made based on the configuration of the printed circuit board. The decoupling capacitors of the PCB are modeled as a parallel combination of inductors, capacitors, and resistors, and the parallel combination is used to calculate the impedance. In addition to the impedance associated with the decoupling capacitors, the method calculates an inductance associated with a mounting orientation of the decoupling capacitors. The power and ground planes of the printed circuit board have an associated capacitance and inductance, which is calculated. The resultant simulated impedance profile illustrating the board configuration impedance over a frequency range is displayed.

Abstract: An engine mounting apparatus that includes thrust struts, a balance yoke, and primary and secondary mount blocks. The thrust struts are connected to the balance yoke and the primary mount block has at least one thrust load connection connectable to the balance yoke for transferring thrust loads from an engine during normal operation of the engine mounting apparatus. The engine mounting apparatus is characterized in that the secondary mount block is connected to the balance yoke via at least one thrust load catcher connection, the at least one thrust load catcher connection being arranged to be unloaded during normal operation of the engine mounting arrangement and to transfer the thrust loads from the engine in the event of a failure condition of the primary mount block.

Abstract: Extraneous liquid is absorbently removed from the rim or sealing area of a contact lens package prior to sealing it, so as to promote good adhesion of the foil cover to the rim when the package is sealed. As the package moves through the system, the package rim and an absorbent blotter are moved into contact with one another. The blotter absorbs any extraneous liquid on the rim. A vacuum or other dryer can be included to further remove the absorbed liquid from the blotter.

Abstract: An engine mounting apparatus for attaching an engine to a suspension pylon includes a mounting block, first and second links connectable between the engine and the mount block and first and second fixings connectable between the suspension pylon and the mount block. The apparatus further has a catcher link, located between the first and second links, that is connectable to the engine at a first end and to the suspension pylon at a second end via a third fixing with a clearance between the catcher link and the engine such that no load is transferred between the engine and the suspension pylon in normal operation. The apparatus also has a catcher fixing between the mount block and the catcher link, the catcher fixing having a clearance with respect to the mount block such that no load is transferred between the mount block and the catcher link in normal operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for power management in a handheld device having various power domains, including an attachable/detachable peripheral device. The power source has an available power amount. The method comprises receiving an indication of a power management event at the handheld device related to operation of a power domain, identifying a predetermined power signature associated with operation of the power domain, determining whether the available power amount is sufficient to operate the power domain in accordance with the predetermined power signature, reducing a power state of another functional upon determining that the available power is insufficient, and allocating the reduced power amount to the first power domain of the handheld device for operation according to the predetermined power signature.

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit is provided to facilitate communication between a microprocessor and a non-volatile memory. The integrated circuit comprises at least one lock status register, at least one control register and a memory controller. The lock status register comprises a plurality of lock status bits representing whether or not a corresponding unit of storage in the volatile memory has been locked. The control register stores configurable control information for the memory controller, including sizing information defining the size of the unit of storage. The memory controller is configured to receive a modification request to modify data in the non-volatile memory; determine a target unit of storage in the non-volatile memory based on a target memory address associated with the modification request; determine from the lock status register whether the target unit of storage has been locked; and implement the modification request only if the target unit storage has not been locked.

Abstract: A computing device is configured to communicate with a peripheral via a connector having a predefined physical configuration and a predefined number of pins. The computing device comprising memory for storing instructions and a processor for executing the instructions. The instructions cause the processor to implement the following steps. Communication with the peripheral is initialized using a predefined initialization protocol via at least one predefined pin. Information relating to a pinout configuration defining a logical configuration of the pins is received from the peripheral. The pinout configuration is assigned to the pins. Communicating with the peripheral in commenced using the pinout configuration. A peripheral configured to communicate with the computing device and the methods for communicating there between are also described.