Abstract: A digital repeater for use in a tree and branch communication network is disclosed. The digital repeater has first path for downstream data communications. The first path does not perform Viterbi decoding in order to minimize the delay for downstream communications. A second path with a Viterbi decoder is used to detect communications addressed to the digital repeater. The disclosure includes other related material including teachings on the integration of the digital repeater into a network including modifications to polling, discovery, and automatic gain control procedures.

Abstract: A distributed processing system including one or more modems connected to a server through a network, such as a cable network or other similar network for transporting data and/or voice. The processing applied to information to be transported to a public network, such as the Internet, is performed by the server rather than the modem. Voice services are provided to telephone equipment connected to a modem by digitizing the voice signals and forwarding the signals as packets to the server. The application of a network stack to the voice packets is performed by the server prior to sending the packets over the public network. Likewise, voice packets received from the public network include network stack formatting. The server removes this formatting prior to sending the voice packets to the modem. This significantly reduces the complexity and cost of the modems.

Abstract: A system and method for document preparation includes a workstation, a web browser, databases, and an application server with a relational database and word processing software, the application server disposed between the web browser and the databases. A document is prepared by retrieving one or more data items from the databases in response to user action and emplacing the retrieved data items into a word processing template retrieved from the application server. A relational database in the application server correlates user action to certain data items in the databases and to a certain template in the application server.

Abstract: A novel method of molding an article includes providing a mold with a vent of a pre-determined size such that, due to the difference in viscosities, gases to be vented from the mold may easily pass through the vent while the material to be molded cannot quickly pass through the vent. In fact, the vent is designed such that the material to be molded which enters the vent, does not exit the end of the vent. In the most preferred embodiment, the vent is in the form of a thin ribbon-like groove so that the material to be molded which does enter the vent forms a thin ribbon of extruded material which need not be removed prior to a finish cover being applied to the molded article.

Abstract: A mold for producing foamed articles includes an upper mold and a lower mold which define a mold cavity. A vent is provided in communication with the mold cavity and has a vent passageway with an entrance and an exit. Structure is also provided for sealingly engaging the upper mold with the lower mold to cause, in cooperation with the predetermined size and shape of the vent passageway, liquid foam polymeric composition expanding inside the mold cavity to enter the vent entrance but to not exit from the vent exit to cause at least partial curing of the foam composition within the vent passageway. Preferably, the vent may be ribbon-shaped so that a ribbon of foamed composition adheres to the foamed article and may be folded flat against the article thus avoiding the labor step of trimming the flash from the product. Additionally, .[.or alternatively,.].