Abstract: A ballistic resistant groin protector is provided. The groin protector includes a groin panel and a deployable groin wrap. The groin panel can be suspended from clothing or equipment to protect a wearer's anterior pelvic region from ballistic impact. The groin wrap is moveable from a stowed position adjacent the anterior pelvic region to a deployed position between the wearer's legs and adjacent a posterior pelvic region. One or more fasteners secure the groin wrap to the wearer's clothing or equipment to maintain the groin wrap in the deployed position. Optional left and right femoral protective portions extend downwardly from the groin wrap to protect the wearer's medial thigh regions against ballistic injury in the deployed position.

Abstract: Gloves for military and law enforcement personnel that provide ballistic protection from high velocity fragments, bullets, and projectiles, flame and heat.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying advertisements on a portable device that utilizes an Activity-based operating system are described. The method includes receiving an indication that an Activity is being transitioned away from, and determining whether or not the Activity is finishing. Upon determining that the Activity is finishing, the method includes causing an advertisement display routine to be executed immediately, otherwise submitting the advertisement display routine into a processing queue to be executed subsequently. The advertisement display routine displays the advertisement only upon determining that the state of the Activity and the state of the portable device are characterized by one or more predetermined conditions.

Abstract: Various implementations for identifying prospective employee candidates via employee connections are disclosed. In some implementations, a system includes an employee identification module, a candidate identification module, and an interface module. The employee identification module identifies at least one first user as an employee of an employer based at least in part on employer information. The candidate identification module identifies at least one second user as a prospective employee candidate based at least in part on social graph connection information including at least a social graph connection between the first user and the second user. The interface module generates a summary of the second user as the prospective employee candidate and provides the summary for display to a third user. The interface module is coupled to a communication unit to provide the summary for display to the third user.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing functionality and information to users, including providing promotional information and opportunities to users of mobile devices in manners that are based at least in part on activities and locations of the users (e.g., based on games played by the users on their mobile devices and/or based on user satisfaction of system-directed tasks associated with offers or other activities). At least some of the promotional information and opportunities may be made available by various companies or entities that provide products and/or services (e.g., retailers, merchants, wholesalers, distributors, etc.) and/or by various companies or entities that provide advertising for available products and/or services. Various types of activities may be defined and used to provide promotional information and opportunities to users of mobile devices in particular embodiments and situations.

Abstract: A system and method forming a ground bonding strap. A length of cable is measured to determine a segment of cable to stamp to form a pair of connectors. The segment is heated. The segment is stamped to form the pair of connectors. The pair of connectors defining an indentation and a pair of receptacles disposed through the cable. The pair of receptacles being each adjacent to and separated by an indentation. The indentations being positioned to allow a user to cut between the pair of connectors to form a ground bonding strap of a length selected by the user.

Abstract: A system and method forming a ground bonding strap. A length of cable is measured to determine a segment of cable to stamp to form a pair of connectors. The segment is heated. The segment is stamped to form the pair of connectors. The pair of connectors defining an indentation and a pair of receptacles disposed through the cable. The pair of receptacles being each adjacent to and separated by an indentation. The indentations being positioned to allow a user to cut between the pair of connectors to form a ground bonding strap of a length selected by the user.

Abstract: A concealable armored vest is provided. The armored vest can include a ballistic insert and a contoured member that overlies the ballistic insert to obscure the outline of the ballistic insert from view. The foam insert can include tapered end portions that flatten as they extend laterally outward of the ballistic insert. The armored vest can also include a downwardly extending retention panel having a retention member to limit vertical movement of the vest. The retention panel can be tucked into a lower body garment, and the retention member can be oversized to inhibit the sliding retraction of the retention panel from the lower body garment. The retention member can include a longitudinal foam element generally parallel to the waistline and generally coextensive with the lowermost portion of the retention panel.

Abstract: A ballistic resistant groin protector is provided. The groin protector includes a groin panel and a deployable groin wrap. The groin panel can be suspended from clothing or equipment to protect a wearer's anterior pelvic region from ballistic impact. The groin wrap is moveable from a stowed position adjacent the anterior pelvic region to a deployed position between the wearer's legs and adjacent a posterior pelvic region. One or more fasteners secure the groin wrap to the wearer's clothing or equipment to maintain the groin wrap in the deployed position. Optional left and right femoral protective portions extend downwardly from the groin wrap to protect the wearer's medial thigh regions against ballistic injury in the deployed position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprising a location reference system and a control module. The location reference system is configured to generate location information for a number of mobile platforms in an environment. The control module is configured to receive the location information for the number of mobile platforms from the location reference system. The control module is further configured to generate command signals for the number of mobile platforms using the location information. The control module is further configured to send the command signals to the number of mobile platforms to operate the number of mobile platforms in the environment such that operation of the number of mobile platforms emulates the operation of a number of spacecraft systems in a non-Earth terrestrial environment.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method for synchronizing clocks between a plurality of clocked devices where one of the plurality of clocked devices is not directly synchronized with another of the plurality of clocked devices. Clock offset and a clock drift between a first clock associated with a first device and a second clock associated with a second is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the first and second devices. Clock offset and clock drift between the second clock and a third clock associated with a third device is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the second and third devices. A clock offset and clock drift between the first clock and third clock is determined based on a difference between the clock offset and drift between the first and second clocks and the clock offset and drift between the second and third clocks.

Abstract: An engine having cylinders capable of combusting gaseous fuel includes at least one spark plug per cylinder, a gaseous fuel injector extending into each cylinder and having at least one nozzle cluster containing a one or more nozzles positioned to direct gaseous fuel only toward a spark gap of an associated spark plug, and a control system operating each spark plug and each injector to deliver gaseous fuel directly to the cylinder and initiate combustion. A method for controlling an engine capable of operating with gaseous fuel includes injecting the gaseous fuel directly into each cylinder through a centrally located injector having a plurality of clusters of nozzles, each cluster associated with one of at least two spark plugs positioned closer to a cylinder wall than to the injector, each cluster directing the gaseous fuel toward an associated spark plug gap.

Abstract: An article of commerce includes a disposable cleaning article and a package. The package exhibits soft visual and sound characteristics. The package is formed as a multilayer packaging film including at least a co-extruded vapor barrier film layer and a polymeric film layer having a melting point at least about 20° C. less than the co-extruded film layer. The polymeric film layer is sealable to form the package so as to enclose the disposable cleaning article, thereby to substantially retain the water content of the disposable cleaning article. The polymeric film layer further exhibits a corrected sound level of less than approximately 50 decibels at readily audible frequencies, such as 3-5 kHz. The reduced sound level may be achieved by providing a film with a high loss tangent. In addition, the multilayer packaging film may have an outer surface with a soft or “matte” appearance.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method for synchronizing clocks between a plurality of clocked devices where one of the plurality of clocked devices is not directly synchronized with another of the plurality of clocked devices. Clock offset and a clock drift between a first clock associated with a first device and a second clock associated with a second is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the first and second devices. Clock offset and clock drift between the second clock and a third clock associated with a third device is directly determined based on signals exchanged between the second and third devices. A clock offset and clock drift between the first clock and third clock is determined based on a difference between the clock offset and drift between the first and second clocks and the clock offset and drift between the second and third clocks.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining location information associated with a remote device, and processing the location information. Processing the location information includes determining if the remote device is mobile. The method also includes configuring a filter such that at least one parameter indicates that the remote device is mobile if the remote device is mobile, and configuring the filter such that the at least one parameter indicates that the remote device is approximately stationary if the remote device is not mobile. The filter is applied to the location information to generate a filtered location estimate which is arranged to estimate a location of the remote device.

Abstract: A deflecting guide catheter for use in minimally invasive medical procedures such as the treatment of mitral valve regurgitation by reshaping the mitral valve annulus using one or more plications of annular or adjacent tissue each fixed by a retainer is described. The catheter includes an elongated tubular portion having various durometers along its length and at least one puller wire attached to an anchor band near the distal end. The deflecting guide catheter is used to provide a means for guiding a plication device or other medical instrument into a desired position within the vasculature or heart chambers of a patient.

Abstract: An engine having cylinders capable of combusting gaseous fuel includes at least one spark plug per cylinder, a gaseous fuel injector extending into each cylinder and having at least one nozzle cluster containing a one or more nozzles positioned to direct gaseous fuel only toward a spark gap of an associated spark plug, and a control system operating each spark plug and each injector to deliver gaseous fuel directly to the cylinder and initiate combustion. A method for controlling an engine capable of operating with gaseous fuel includes injecting the gaseous fuel directly into each cylinder through a centrally located injector having a plurality of clusters of nozzles, each cluster associated with one of at least two spark plugs positioned closer to a cylinder wall than to the injector, each cluster directing the gaseous fuel toward an associated spark plug gap.

Abstract: A desk including a book holder positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the surface of the desk. In one embodiment the book holder is deployable, and the desk surface includes a recess into which the deployable book holder fits when the deployable book holder is in the closed position. The recess optionally includes a rubber surface to avoid slipping of the bottom edge of a book (such as a text book) when the book is being held up with the deployable book holder. In another embodiment a deployable book holder includes an aperture, and a recess includes an island. In various embodiments, a proximal end of a desk surface, closest to where a user sits, may be wider than the distal end to provide adequate arm room for the user.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a slider body having a leading edge and an opposite trailing edge, as well as a top face and a bottom face each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The slider body further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the bottom face, a first recess defined on one of the protrusions, and a sacrificial layer deposited on the slider body in the recess. A bottom surface of the sacrificial layer extends at least as far from the bottom face as bottom surfaces of the plurality of protrusions. In another aspect, a first blocking feature is located at a first uptrack edge on an air bearing surface of a slider, with the first blocking feature being substantially continuous along the first uptrack edge and protruding outwardly from the air bearing surface to reduce particle interaction with the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A disc burnishing head includes an array of burnishing pads and a first and second side rail projecting from a bottom surface of a slider body. The side rails each have an inside surface facing the burnishing pads and an outside surface facing outward. The outside surface of at least the first side rail is serrated. The serrations define a plurality of teeth and notches on the outside surface of the first side rail for cutting, cleaning, and conditioning defects from the surface of a disc.