Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: Producing a set of operations from an output description is disclosed. Producing includes receiving a description of a desired result, where the description is associated with a metalanguage, determining a set of operations such that executing the set of operations would produce the desired result, and providing the set of operations as input to one or more applications.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a solar energy collection system will be described that includes a collector row and at least one stand that supports the collector row. Multiple longitudinally adjacent collectors are arranged end to end along a longitudinal axis to form the collector row. Each collector includes a reflector, at least one solar receiver and a support structure. The support structure supports the solar receivers and the reflector. The reflectors of the collector row are configured to have a range of tilt angles that are at least ±70 degrees around the pivot axis. In various embodiments, the reflectors of the adjacent collectors are arranged to collectively form a substantially continuous reflective surface along the length of the collector row.

Abstract: A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that tracks movements of the sun along at least one axis may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the solar energy collection system, a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during normal operation of the solar energy collector, and a plurality of solar receivers.

Abstract: A solar energy collector is provided having at least one reflector panel, a plurality of solar receivers, and a support structure that supports the at least one reflector panels in a manner that defines a reflector troughs having a trough base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, wherein each reflective side wall has a curvature that approximates a quarter parabola segment to thereby concentrate incident solar radiation on the plurality of solar receivers.

Abstract: A solar receiver can have a base plate having a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of solar cells positioned over and supported by the first surface of the base plate, each solar cell having a cell face suitable for receiving solar radiation that faces away from the base plate, the plurality of solar cells being arranged in at least one string having a string axis, and a plurality of fins attached directly to the second surface of the base plate, wherein the fins extend outwardly from the second surface of the base plate in a direction that is generally perpendicular to both the string axis and the solar cell faces.

Abstract: A solar receiver can have a base plate having a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of solar cells positioned over and supported by the first surface of the base plate, each solar cell having a cell face suitable for receiving solar radiation that faces away from the base plate, the plurality of solar cells being arranged in at least one string having a string axis, and a plurality of fins attached directly to the second surface of the base plate, wherein the fins extend outwardly from the second surface of the base plate in a direction that is generally perpendicular to both the string axis and the solar cell faces.

Abstract: A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system. The collector may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, a plurality of solar receivers positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector, and a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework.

Abstract: A solar receiver can have a base plate having a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of solar cells positioned over and supported by the first surface of the base plate, each solar cell having a cell face suitable for receiving solar radiation that faces away from the base plate, the plurality of solar cells being arranged in at least one string having a string axis, and a plurality of fins attached directly to the second surface of the base plate, wherein the fins extend outwardly from the second surface of the base plate in a direction that is generally perpendicular to both the string axis and the solar cell faces.

Abstract: A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that tracks movements of the sun along at least one axis may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the solar energy collection system, a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during normal operation of the solar energy collector, and a plurality of solar receivers.

Abstract: A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system. The collector may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, a plurality of solar receivers positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector, and a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework.

Abstract: A solar energy collector is provided having at least one reflector panel, a plurality of solar receivers, and a support structure that supports the at least one reflector panels in a manner that defines a reflector troughs having a trough base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, wherein each reflective side wall has a curvature that approximates a quarter parabola segment to thereby concentrate incident solar radiation on the plurality of solar receivers.