Abstract: A protective case for a smartphone has a planar portion of the length and width of the smartphone, an upper portion shaped to capture a smartphone leaving a touchcreen of unobstructed, the upper portion enabled to fasten to the planar portion, an opening into the planar portion, the opening having an axis at right angles to the plane of the planar portion on a side opposite the upper portion, pairing circuitry enclosed in the protective case for wirelessly pairing with the smartphone, a power source enclosed in the planar portion for powering circuitry and mechanisms in the protective case, a locking mechanism in the planar portion proximate the opening, enabled to engage to an anchor pin inserted into the opening, and circuitry enabled to accept an unlock command via wireless communication from a smartphone executing a security application, the command causing the locking mechanism to release from an anchor pin.

Abstract: A protective case for a smartphone has a planar portion of the length and width of the smartphone, an upper portion shaped to capture a smartphone leaving a touchcreen of unobstructed, the upper portion enabled to fasten to the planar portion, an opening into the planar portion, the opening having an axis at right angles to the plane of the planar portion on a side opposite the upper portion, pairing circuitry enclosed in the protective case for wirelessly pairing with the smartphone, a power source enclosed in the planar portion for powering circuitry and mechanisms in the protective case, a locking mechanism in the planar portion proximate the opening, enabled to engage to an anchor pin inserted into the opening, and circuitry enabled to accept an unlock command via wireless communication from a smartphone executing a security application, the command causing the locking mechanism to release from an anchor pin.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a variable valve placed into the interior of a ball valve for various advantages. In one embodiment a variable valve comprised of rollers is engineered into a standard ball valve thereby providing the advantages of the high sealing pressure of a ball valve and the fine flow control of a variable valve using rollers. In one embodiment a plurality of variable ball valves enhance flow in a system. In another embodiment superior sealing and high pressure operation is achieved. In another embodiment high voltage is added to ionize gasses.

Abstract: A server-side summarization system includes a function for acquiring material to be summarized, along with source information about the material, a converter for converting the acquired material to machine-readable form, if not in that form when acquired, a summarizer for creating a summary from the acquired material, and a storage function for storing a copy of the acquired material and the summary created as separate files, associated and cross-referenced using the source information.

Abstract: A server-side summarization system includes a function for acquiring material to be summarized, along with source information about the material, a converter for converting the acquired material to machine-readable form, if not in that form when acquired, a summarizer for creating a summary from the acquired material, and a storage function for storing a copy of the acquired material and the summary created as separate files, associated and cross-referenced using the source information.

Abstract: A therapeutic system for massage comprises a massage device having an activation cell comprising a hollow pocket at least partially filled with a ferro-magnetic fluid, a permanent magnet suspended in the ferro-magnetic fluid, a coil of electrically-conductive material in proximity to the pocket, and a connection interface to connect the coil to a source of varying voltage and current, and a power source of varying voltage for connecting to the connection interface to drive the activation cell.

Abstract: A portable media player (PMP) has non-volatile memory, at least one communication interface to remote digital devices, a touchscreen, and software stored on and executing from a machine-readable physical medium. The software provides functionality to enable a user, via touchscreen controls, with the PMP coupled to a digital video recorder (DVR), to browse indicators of video files stored on the DVR, to select and download files to the non-volatile memory of the PMP, and to play the video files on the touchscreen of the PMP after the PMP is uncoupled from the DVR.

Abstract: A gaming console facilitating universal game control for mobile devices capable of video gaming includes a housing supporting a video graphics display area, a coupling interface and docking bay strategically located in the housing relative to the display area for docking and coupling to a mobile device, at least one video game controller interface conveniently located on the housing relative to the display area, and at least one mobile device control interface conveniently located on the housing relative to the display area wherein the gaming console with a mobile device coupled thereto serves as a video gaming station for playing video games accessible to the mobile device, and wherein the at least one video game controller interface is used to execute and play a video game instead of controls resident on the mobile device.

Abstract: An Internet-enabled subscription teaching service system has an Internet-connected lecture server executing a software suite, one or more teacher-author stations coupled to the Internet-connected lecture server, having input and display apparatus, and including lecture-authoring software, and one or more Internet-capable lecture client stations having lecture-participation software. Teacher-authors use the teacher-author stations to prepare lectures through the lecture-authoring software, the lecture server stores prepared lectures and provides lectures on a pre-determined schedule to lecture clients at the lecture client stations, and the lecture clients follow the provided lectures at the lecture client stations through the lecture-participation software. Some lectures are fully automatic, and some are directed by the teacher-authors in real time. In the real time case recipients are directed to WEB pages in unison, and annotation and commentary is provided by the teacher-author as pages are visited.

Abstract: A computing system for calculating has a host computing appliance able to communicate with a computer peripheral, a computer peripheral having there on a touch screen user interface and an activation control for activating and deactivating the touch screen interface.

Abstract: A system for commercial promotion has a first computerized appliance enabled for data reception on a close-proximity wireless local area network (LAN) having a limited effective range, and for providing received data in a human-understandable form to a user of the first appliance, and a second computerized appliance enabled for data transmission on the close-proximity wireless LAN and having access to a data repository storing promotional material. The first and the second computerized appliances establish a connection on the wireless LAN by virtue of proximity within the limited effective range, the second appliance transmits promotional material to the first appliance in response to the connection, and the first appliance renders the promotional material in human-understandable form for the user in response to receiving the promotional material.

Abstract: A server-side summarization system includes a function for acquiring material to be summarized, along with source information about the material, a converter for converting the acquired material to machine-readable form, if not in that form when acquired, a summarizer for creating a summary from the acquired material, and a storage function for storing a copy of the acquired material and the summary created as separate files, associated and cross-referenced using the source information.

Abstract: A therapeutic system for massage comprises a massage device having an activation cell comprising a hollow pocket at least partially filled with a ferro-magnetic fluid, a permanent magnet suspended in the ferro-magnetic fluid, a coil of electrically-conductive material in proximity to the pocket, and a connection interface to connect the coil to a source of varying voltage and current, and a power source of varying voltage for connecting to the connection interface to drive the activation cell.

Abstract: A striking tool comprising a head assembled to a handle having a long axis is characterized in that the head comprises a closed cavity extending into the head in the direction of the long axis, an opening through a wall of the head into the cavity, the opening extending at substantially a right angle to the long axis, and a spreading element inserted through the opening and spreading a portion of the handle within the cavity to urge against walls of the cavity to secure the head to the handle.

Abstract: A striking tool comprising a head assembled to a handle having a long axis is characterized in that the head comprises a closed cavity extending into the head in the direction of the long axis, an opening through a wall of the head into the cavity, the opening extending at substantially a right angle to the long axis, and a spreading element inserted through the opening and spreading a portion of the handle within the cavity to urge against walls of the cavity to secure the head to the handle.

Abstract: A radio or television apparatus has tuning circuitry for selecting a channel from an input spectrum, an output for presenting a presentation from a selected channel, a recording apparatus having a memory with capacity for recording a fixed time duration T of the selected presentation, and adapted to make an audio record sequentially in a circular fashion, such that when the memory capacity is filled, the device continues to record, overwriting the oldest recorded information, providing thereby, at any point in time, a stored copy of time duration T immediately preceding the point in time. This innovation provides limited rewind capability for real-time data streams. In alternative embodiments add-on devices are provided for existing radios and TVs.

Abstract: A retaining-wall block has a set of liquid impervious walls defining a completely bounded cavity having a sealable opening for filling the cavity with a fill material to add weight, and a seal element for sealing the sealable opening. In some cases the block has a second cavity with openings for collecting liquid and for passing collected liquid out of the second cavity to adjacent blocks in an assembly.

Abstract: An Internet-enabled subscription teaching service system has an Internet-connected lecture server executing a software suite, one or more teacher-author stations coupled to the Internet-connected lecture server, having input and display apparatus, and including lecture-authoring software, and one or more Internet-capable lecture client stations having lecture-participation software. Teacher-authors use the teacher-author stations to prepare lectures through the lecture-authoring software, the lecture server stores prepared lectures and provides lectures on a pre-determined schedule to lecture clients at the lecture client stations, and the lecture clients follow the provided lectures at the lecture client stations through the lecture-participation software. Some lectures are fully automatic, and some are directed by the teacher-authors in real time. In the real time case recipients are directed to WEB pages in unison, and annotation and commentary is provided by the teacher-author as pages are visited.

Abstract: A template system for guiding drywall cutouts has at least one control box incorporating a stud-finder, and a system of interconnecting extensions attached to the control box, the extensions forming a predetermined geometrical shape. The template system is characterized in that, with the template system positioned against a drywall, individual edges of the interconnecting extensions serve as guides for a cutting tool to cut out a portion of the drywall in the predetermined geometrical shape formed by the interconnecting extensions.

Abstract: A retaining-wall block has a set of liquid impervious walls defining a completely bounded cavity having a sealable opening for filling the cavity with a fill material to add weight, and a seal element for sealing the sealable opening. In some cases the block has a second cavity with openings for collecting liquid and for passing collected liquid out of the second cavity to adjacent blocks in an assembly.