Abstract: A device is described for repelling pests from fruit and other trees as well as certain plants. The device consists of an adjustable collar that is strapped tight around the tree trunk, tree branches or plant stem. The collar consists of a liquid absorbing foam strip and a tying mechanism such as a pipe clamp, or Velcro strap. To be most effective, the foam strip should completely surround the tree trunk or plant stem so as to not allow any way of passage for ants and other tree-crawling pests to make it through the repelling barrier without having to crawl over it. A repellant or insecticide is poured on top of the collar's foam strip. Thus a repelling barrier is created that crawling pests will not cross or that causes a repelling aroma to engulf the tree or plant and which repels flying insects.

Abstract: A system is described for converting the energy contained in each ocean wave into mechanical energy used to drive an electric generator. The system is built around a large weight that sits atop an air-filled raft inside a chamber that is partly open to the ocean on one side. Water from each incoming wave pushes the raft upward in the chamber. As the water level subsides, the weight exerts a pulling force onto a gear system that in turn drives a standard electrical generator. The system is simple in design, it is highly scalable and inexpensive to construct with off-the-shelve components and building materials.

Abstract: A system is described for controlling the distribution of licensed software. The system includes a license registration database which may be contacted by a user using a web browser, e-mail, or another approach, to provide to that system a registration key. The registration key is obtained by the user from the vendor of the software product, who in turn records it in the license registration database. In response to the registration key, the license registration database unlocks the software, allowing use of the software by the user on the user's system. By incorporating into the request from the user unique information about the user's system, distribution of the software beyond the user's system is limited or precluded, as specified by the vendor.