Abstract: A ball collection system for a tennis court (1), configured to be provided along an edge (2a) of a tennis court, comprising: a first slope (11), extending along said edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the first slope decreases in a first direction away from said edge of the tennis court; a second slope 12), arranged adjacent to the first slope on the opposite side of the first slope from the edge of the tennis court, and configured such that the height of the second slope decreases in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, from a first end that is no higher than the lowest part of the first slope to a second end; and a ball collector (14), arranged at the second end of the second slope and configured to receive balls that roll down the second slope.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises a wicking element useful for improving delivery of aerosol precursor to a heating element. In particular, the wick can take on a brush-like configuration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides components useful in heating, particularly heating of an aerosol precursor solution so as to vaporize the solution and form an aerosol. The disclosure particularly provides an electrically conductive, porous carbon heater. The heater may be combined with an aerosol precursor transport element that also is formed of carbon. The heater and transport element may form an atomizer that can be useful in an electronic smoking article, such as in a cartridge that is adapted for attachment to a control body. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a cartridge of an electronic smoking article, the cartridge being formed substantially completely of carbon.

Abstract: A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.

Abstract: A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.

Abstract: Automated response processing includes receiving a first audible prompt from a called system and a response to the first audible prompt from a calling system during a first phone call. Automated response processing further includes determining, using a processor, a semantic identifier for the first audible prompt using semantic analysis and storing the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt in association with the response. The stored response is played responsive to determining that a semantic identifier for a second audible prompt played to the calling system matches the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt.

Abstract: Automated response processing includes receiving a first audible prompt from a called system and a response to the first audible prompt from a calling system during a first phone call. Automated response processing further includes determining, using a processor, a semantic identifier for the first audible prompt using semantic analysis and storing the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt in association with the response. The stored response is played responsive to determining that a semantic identifier for a second audible prompt played to the calling system matches the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide for dynamically and automatically managing activities of two parties (e.g., friends, business associates, family members) based on a change in relationship (e.g., no longer friends, break-up, divorce, no longer working together) between the two parties in a network (e.g., a social network implemented using a social networking website). In one specific example, mechanisms are provided for dynamically and automatically adjusting privacy control (e.g. removing, hiding, scraping, deleting, obscuring) of past activity data (e.g. social network wall posts, social network wall re-posts, pictures, forum posts, blog posts, blog comments, documents, files, videos, tags etc.) of the two parties upon detecting a change in relationship between the two parties in the social network.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises a wicking element useful for improving delivery of aerosol precursor to a heating element. In particular, the wick can take on a brush-like configuration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.

Abstract: A smoking article may include a cigarette incorporated within an electrically powered aerosol generating device that acts as a holder for that cigarette. The smoking article possesses at least one form of tobacco. The smoking article also possesses a mouth-end piece that is used by the smoker to inhale components of tobacco that are generated by the action of heat upon components of the cigarette. A representative smoking article possesses an outer housing incorporating a source of electrical power (e.g., a battery), a sensing mechanism for powering the device at least during periods of draw, and a heating device (e.g., at least one electrical resistance heating element) for forming a thermally generated aerosol that incorporates components of tobacco. During use, the cigarette is positioned within the device, and after use, the used cigarette is removed from the device and replaced with another cigarette.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic smoking article that provides for improved aerosol delivery. Particularly, the article comprises a wicking element useful for improving delivery of aerosol precursor to a heating element. In particular, the wick can take on a brush-like configuration. The present disclosure further relates to methods of forming an aerosol in a smoking article.

Abstract: A computer program product is described. The computer program product includes a computer useable storage medium including a computer readable program. The computer readable program includes instructions that, when executed by a processing device within a computer, cause the computer to perform operations. The operations include displaying an attraction icon on a display device, moving the attraction icon relative to a user interface control on the display device. The operations further include moving the user interface control from a first position on the display device to a second position to facilitate manipulation of the user interface control by a user, and restoring the user interface control to the first position in response to completion of the manipulation of the user interface control by the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dentition retaining apparatus that includes a joint between a holding member and a supporting member. The holding member is elastically deformable and terminates in an end segment having a length with an outer diameter. The joint includes a coil extending from the supporting member and having an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the end segment of the holding member. The coil is placed around at least a portion of the end segment of the holding member. The coil compresses the end segment of the holding member.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for automated data updating of notices in a calendaring and scheduling (C&S) system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for automated data updating of notices in a C&S system can be provided. The method can include composing a C&S document in a C&S system executing in memory by at least one processor of a computer. The method further can include noticing different users addressed for the C&S document and adding to the C&S document a reference to variable data stored separately from the C&S document. The method yet further can include detecting a change in the variable data. Finally, the method can include transmitting notice to the different users of the change in variable data. In one aspect of the embodiment, transmitting notice to the different users of the change in variable data can include flagging the C&S document as having changed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive substrate useful for Joule heating, such as in an electronic smoking article. Particularly, the invention provides a resistive heating element formed of a conductive substrate. The conductive substrate comprises an electrically conductive material and a carbonaceous additive, such as a binder material. The conductive substrate is carbonized in that it is subjected to calcining conditions to effectively reduce the carbonaceous additive to its carbon skeleton. It has been found that such carbonized substrate has surprisingly improved resistance properties in relation a substrate of the same formulation that is not carbonized. The carbonized substrate can include an aerosol precursor material. The formed resistive heating element can be included in an electronic smoking article to simultaneously provide resistive heating and aerosol formation with a single, unitary component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing automatic pressure balancing of an internal combustion engine. The engine includes cylinders, fuel injector valves provided to selectively deliver fuel directly into the cylinders, fuel-balancing valves each fluidly connected to the fuel injector valves for controlling the fuel delivered to the fuel injector valves and cylinder pressure sensors each mounted to one of the cylinders. The method comprises an automatic pressure balancing procedure including the steps of monitoring a cylinder pressure in each of the cylinders, determining a peak combustion pressure produced in each of the cylinders, calculating a mean peak pressure produced in all of the cylinders, calculating a pressure difference between the mean and the peak pressure and incrementally adjusting the fuel delivered by one of the fuel-balancing valves to the corresponding fuel injector valve mounted to the cylinder having the pressure difference larger than a predetermined pressure value.

Abstract: A method, system or computer usable program product for a data processing system to anticipate parking space availability including receiving from the first user a request for a parking space for a first vehicle, obtaining location tracking data of a set of users, each of the set of users associated with one of a set of vehicles, each vehicle located at one of a set of parking spaces, predicting a set of departure times based on the location tracking data for a subset of the set of users away from and associated with vehicles located in parking spaces, determining a subset of departure times that are within an acceptable period of time, and sending to the first user a subset of parking spaces with vehicles associated with users having the subset of departure times.

Abstract: A state restoration unit tracks opening and closing of programs within a computer operating system. Responsive to detecting opening and closing of programs, a state restoration structure is updated. After the computer operating system restarts from a failure, the state restoration structure is accessed. The state restoration unit restores those of the programs indicated as open in the state restoration structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dentition retaining apparatus that includes a joint between a holding member and a supporting member. The holding member is elastically deformable and terminates in an end segment having a length with an outer diameter. The joint includes a coil extending from the supporting member and having an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the end segment of the holding member. The coil is placed around at least a portion of the end segment of the holding member. The coil compresses the end segment of the holding member.

Abstract: A method can include associating an electronic document with an electronic mail message as an attachment and determining that the electronic document is in an uncompleted state using a processor. The method can include replacing the electronic document with an updated version of the electronic document as the attachment to the electronic mail message and sending the electronic mail message with the updated version of the electronic document as the attachment responsive to detecting a completion condition for the electronic document.