Abstract: An ablation system comprises: an ablation catheter and a console. The ablation catheter comprises: a shaft including a proximal end, a distal portion and a distal end; an ablation element configured to deliver energy to tissue; and a force maintenance assembly comprising a force maintenance element and configured to control and/or assess contact force between the ablation element and cardiac tissue. The console is configured to operably attach to the ablation catheter and comprises: an energy delivery assembly configured to provide energy to the ablation element. Methods of ablating tissue are also provided.

Abstract: A gaming system configured to create electronic player sports wagering profiles for un-identified players, track each sports related wager made by each un-identified player, determine if any un-identified player has reached a sports related wager limit for a designated time period, and responsive to determining that an un-identified player has reached the sports related wager limit for the designated time period, initiate a sports wager limit resolution process.

Abstract: Compositions and methods using plant-derived peptides, that are biopesticides are described. The compositions and methods can be used to reduce the damage of citrus plants and plant parts as well as losses in harvested fruits caused by citrus greening disease by treatment with a peptide or mixture of peptides.

Abstract: Systems and methods employing a ticket voucher handling device, such as an electronic gaming machine or a ticket voucher redemption kiosk, that issues and/or redeems ticket vouchers associated with different ticket voucher systems corresponding to different activities.

Abstract: A securing device comprises a collar for releasably clamping first and second objects together, wherein the collar includes a pair of collar members, each of the collar members being pivotably coupled to the other collar member at or towards a first end so as to allow pivotable movement of the collar members relative to each other, the collar including a releasable securing member that includes securing member portions respectively arranged in or on the collar members at or towards their other second ends, wherein the securing member portions are configured to be coaxially connectable to each other to secure the collar members to each other at or towards their other second ends, and the securing member portions are configured to be coaxially disconnectable from each other to permit separation of the second ends of the collar members.

Abstract: A securing device comprises a collar for releasably clamping first, and second objects (28,30) together, wherein the collar includes a pair of collar members (46), each of the collar members (46) being pivotably coupled to the other collar member (46) at or towards a first end so as to allow pivotable movement of the collar members (46) relative to each other, the collar including a releasable securing member (42) that includes securing member portions respectively arranged in or on the collar members (46) at or towards their other second ends, wherein the securing member portions are configured to be coaxially connectable to each other to secure the collar members (46) to each other at or towards their other second ends, and the securing member portions are configured to be coaxially disconnectable from each other to permit separation of the second ends of the collar members (46).

Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers. The soft switch sites provide the core call processing for the voice network architecture. The soft switch sites manage the gateway sites in a preferred embodiment, using a protocol such as the Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC) protocol to request the set-up and tear-down of calls.

Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers. The soft switch sites provide the core call processing for the voice network architecture. The soft switch sites manage the gateway sites in a preferred embodiment, using a protocol such as the Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC) protocol to request the set-up and tear-down of calls.

Abstract: The present invention describes a system and method for communicating voice and data over a packet-switched network that is adapted to coexist and communicate with a legacy PSTN. The system permits packet switching of voice calls and data calls through a data network from and to any of a LEC, a customer facility or a direct IP connection on the data network. The system includes soft switch sites, gateway sites, a data network, a provisioning component, a network event component and a network management component. The system interfaces with customer facilities (e.g., a PBX), carrier facilities (e.g., a LEC) and legacy signaling networks (e.g., SS7) to handle calls between any combination of on-network and off-network callers. The soft switch sites provide the core call processing for the voice network architecture. The soft switch sites manage the gateway sites in a preferred embodiment, using a protocol such as the Internet Protocol Device Control (IPDC) protocol to request the set-up and tear-down of calls.

Abstract: A dynamic session redirector provides the ability to receive requests for network accessible storage resources and redirect them to the appropriate resources as needed while providing a single system image to the system requesting access to the resources. The redirector provides an ability to reconfigure the network storage resources without altering the system image presented by the redirector to the clients on the network. This may be used to provide for dynamic reallocation of the resources in order to improve efficiency and reliability of the storage system, as well to provide support for a wide variety of protocols to be redirected, including stateful protocols.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to enable the development, deployment and update of composite applications on mobile devices. In one embodiment, a method processor in a mobile device uses a workflow engine to load modules for execution according to a workflow that specifies the execution flow directions based on the outcomes of the modules. Detached object managers can be used to manage locally data that are checked out from data sources. A object manager can maintain multiple versions of the data locally, receive changes, submit changes, and/or detect conflicts. Conflicts can be resolved over time. Using a check-out check-in model, different devices can work on the same data without having to synchronize with a server sequentially. Data and workflow can be packaged together for transmission over a sometime connected network (e.g., via email) such that a method processor does not have to wait for response if the network connection is not available.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to enable the development, deployment and update of composite applications on mobile devices. In one embodiment, a method processor in a mobile device may include a workflow engine and a cache manager which looks ahead of the current execution of a workflow to preload modules. The method processor may present modal user interfaces in a non-modal way to eliminate flicker, and use a logger to stamp the workflow related data with real time measurements, such as time, location, and vehicle bus information. The logger may capture screen images and global data of the workflow during the execution. The log data stream may be collected and sent from the mobile device in real time, or in a batch mode, for monitoring, debugging, diagnosing or tuning the execution of a workflow, for providing hot update, help and guidance against deviation during the execution, and for other features.

Abstract: Apparatus (40) for the thermal treatment of food products includes a food processing conveyor (46) which is operable to deliver food products between an inlet (44) and an 10 outlet (45) of the apparatus (40) for cooking at a cooking station (42) followed by delivery through a marking station (43) for branding a surface of the product with a desired surface marking or design.

Abstract: A dynamic session redirector provides the ability to receive requests for network accessible storage resources and redirect them to the appropriate resources as needed while providing a single system image to the system requesting access to the resources. The redirector provides an ability to reconfigure the network storage resources in order to balance the load among the servers. By altering the association between individual storage resources and the servers responsible for them on the storage network, a more efficient and reliable system for access to the data may be provided.