Abstract: An autonomous alarm monitoring system within the cloud contains all of a dealer's accounts. The dealers autonomous monitoring system interfaces with a third-party central station's system, and provides dealers with the ability to control all their own accounts as well as have them monitored by any third-party central station that interfaces to the dealer's autonomous alarm monitoring system. The dealer can switch from one third-party central station to any other third-party central station with a single mouse click. The dealer can split their accounts over a number of different third-party central stations and determine which types of alarm conditions or trigger signals will be sent to each third-party central station, and at what times of the day or days of the week.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating, at a target ice/liquid ratio with a corresponding target temperature, a slush comprising frozen and non-frozen liquid comprises a flow path for recirculation of liquid therethrough, the flow path comprising a heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the heat exchanger being configured for flow therethrough of coolant at a temperature below the target temperature, the apparatus being configured to vary the rate of coolant flow through the heat exchanger between a first rate and a second rate that is lower than the first rate.

Abstract: A razor cartridge comprising a housing having an elongated skin contacting element having a plurality of tunnels extending there through to facilitate fluid flow to the blades.

Abstract: A sleeve with interior barbs that are designed to grasp a tissue and fix the tissue to a body part such as a bone are described. Optionally, the sleeve exterior surface includes a fastener configured to fix the sleeve relative to the body part. Optionally, the wall of the sleeve includes a plurality of wall holes. Methods of using the barbed sleeve in surgery are also described.

Abstract: A method of extruding products comprises varying the rate of flow of at least one material (12) through an extrusion aperture in a die (10). The method may be used to produce an extrudate body (16) whose cross-sectional area varies along its length or to produce an extrudate body comprising two or more different materials in which the proportions of the materials varies along its length. Apparatus (11) for carrying out the method comprises an extrusion die (10) defining an extrusion aperture and a material delivery system for delivering the material(s) to the die in a suitable condition for extrusion. A control system is operative to vary the rate of flow of the material. The control system may comprise a flow control mechanism (240) in a supply path for the first material upstream from the die (10). The flow control mechanism (240) may be operative to vary the volume of the supply path and may comprise a fluid actuated resiliently deformable flexible element.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating, at a target ice/liquid ratio with a corresponding target temperature, a slush comprising frozen and non-frozen liquid comprises a flow path for recirculation of liquid therethrough, the flow path comprising a heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the heat exchanger being configured for flow therethrough of coolant at a temperature below the target temperature, the apparatus being configured to vary the rate of coolant flow through the heat exchanger between a first rate and a second rate that is lower than the first rate.

Abstract: An application for a mobile device allows a user to let a monitoring center know that they are in trouble without the requirement of using the user interface of the mobile device to navigate to the app menu to select the app and select an option to send an alarm. The app allows the user to send alarms for different types of events. The mobile device's Inertial Measurement Unit is used to record and trigger a three dimensional movement gesture pattern of the mobile device which is associated with certain events and actions. To make the process even more unique a fourth dimension of time is added into the process. Time can affect the gesture pattern in two ways. First, there will be an overall time to complete the three dimensional movement for the gesture pattern, and second, a time to complete each individual movement that comprises the gesture pattern.

Abstract: A security and automation system that is very simple and does not require any phone or device applications is disclosed. The system simply looks for an IP/MAC address that is registered onto a local Wi-Fi network and a response to a communication, such as a ping. The presence or absence of this indicates whether the device, and hence a user with the device, is near or away, and whether the security system can be automatically armed or disarmed and whether automation components should be activated or deactivated. Using this information the system can intelligently arm or disarm the system as well as make decisions about controlling devices within the structure, such as automatically switching on lights when a user returns, or switching them off and automatically locking all the doors when the user leaves.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing products comprising an outer casing of a first material (12) and containing at least one chamber (18) filled with a second material (14) comprises extruding the first material through a die (10) to form an extrudate body (16) and delivering the second material through at least one fluid outlet (22) in the die to form the least one filled chamber. The extrusion process is varied periodically and momentarily to produce sections (30) of extrudate body having no filled chamber. In one embodiment, the flow of the second material (14) is periodically reduced to form the unfilled sections. The flow of the second material (14) may be reduced by increasing the volume of a supply path for the second material upstream from the die (10). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The method and apparatus are particularly adapted for producing food, and especially confectionery, products.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing products comprising an outer casing of a first material (12) and containing at least one chamber (18) filled with a second material (14) comprises extruding the first material through a die (10) to form an extrudate body (16) and delivering the second material through at least one fluid outlet (22) in the die to form the least one filled chamber. The extrusion process is varied periodically and momentarily to produce sections (30) of extrudate body having no filled chamber. In one embodiment, the flow of the second material (14) is periodically reduced to form the unfilled sections. The flow of the second material (14) may be reduced by increasing the volume of a supply path for the second material upstream from the die (10). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The method and apparatus are particularly adapted for producing food, and especially confectionery, products.

Abstract: A method of extruding products comprises varying the rate of flow of at least one material (12) through an extrusion aperture in a die (10). The method may be used to produce an extrudate body (16) whose cross-sectional area varies along its length or to produce an extrudate body comprising two or more different materials in which the proportions of the materials varies along its length. Apparatus (11) for carrying out the method comprises an extrusion die (10) defining an extrusion aperture and a material delivery system for delivering the material(s) to the die in a suitable condition for extrusion. A control system is operative to vary the rate of flow of the material. The control system may comprise a flow control mechanism (240) in a supply path for the first material upstream from the die (10). The flow control mechanism (240) may be operative to vary the volume of the supply path and may comprise a fluid actuated resiliently deformable flexible element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for controlling the ice volume fraction of a circulating ice-containing medium. The control system comprises a freezer apparatus for generating an ice-containing medium, a pump for circulating the ice-containing medium through a flow circuit comprising an outward line, a main line and a return line, and a bypass line connecting the outward line and return line to form a bypass circuit. In use, the time taken for circulating ice-containing medium to pass through the bypass circuit is less than the time taken for circulating ice-containing medium to pass through the flow circuit. The present invention also provides a method for controlling the ice volume fraction of a circulating ice-containing medium using such a control system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing an optical component having at least one photo-oriented polymeric layer is provided. The apparatus includes a single source of laser radiation, beam splitting means for splitting the laser radiation into a first beam of linearly polarized light having a first plane of polarization (P) and a second beam of linearly polarized light having a second plane of polarization (S), first directing means for directing the first beam of linearly polarized light onto a first area or areas of at least one photo-orientatable polymeric layer to cause a first molecular orientation in said first area or areas of the layer and second directing means for directing the second beam of linearly polarized light onto said photo-orientatable polymeric layer to cause a second molecular orientation in a second area or areas of the layer.