Abstract: Systems and methods may provide for generating and using information about fuel options along a predetermined route. An optimized fuel location server may use information related to the fuel efficiency in a given vehicle and information related to the amount of fuel currently present in a fuel tank associated with the vehicle to determine where along the predetermined route fuel will be required. The optimized fuel location server may also determine where the vehicle should stop for fuel to navigate the route in the lowest cost way possible. The optimized fuel location server may further consider user preferences, such as preferred fuel providers, in determining which fuel option should be used. Finally, the optimized fuel location server may be configured to send notifications (e.g., real-time, etc.) to a user device when the user device is within the vicinity of one or more fuel options.

Abstract: Sensors installed at a vehicle may automatically detect that a disturbance event, such as a collision, has occurred at the vehicle. A disturbance response module installed at the vehicle may automatically determine whether the vehicle was running and whether the vehicle was moving when the disturbance event occurred. The disturbance response module may determine that the vehicle was parked in response to a determination that the vehicle was not running and not moving when the disturbance event occurred. A communication module installed at the vehicle may automatically transmit a notification message that indicates a disturbance event has occurred at the vehicle.

Abstract: An automated safety notification system is proposed herein in which one or more safe zone access points may be physically deployed to one or more safe zones associated with a disaster area. If a person with a mobile phone or other mobile device enters the safe zone, the safe zone access point may detect the presence of the mobile device and perform certain functions in response to the detection. For example, the safe zone access point may initiate contact of a predetermined plurality of contacts that the person may have already designated before the disaster. The safe zone access point may also be used to initiate an insurance claim.

Abstract: A communication module may receive communications from a vehicle. A collision detection module may determine that a collision has occurred at a vehicle based on one or more of the communications received from a vehicle. A participant identification module may identify one or more participants involved in the collision based on one or more communications received from the vehicle. A fault determination module may identify one of the participants as the at-fault participant based on a comparison of a fault determination ruleset to vehicle telematics data included in one or more of the communications received from the vehicle. A claims processing module may determine whether to file an insurance claim associated with one of the participants based on the estimated repair cost.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage and processing claims associated with an insured item, such as a vehicle. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a user device (e.g., a mobile device). The mobile device may receive feedback from the server regarding the acceptability of submitted photos/video, and if the server determines that any of the submitted photos/video is unacceptable, the mobile device may capture additional photos/video until all of the data are deemed acceptable. To aid in damage analysis, the server may also interface with various internal and external databases storing reference images of undamaged items and cost estimate information for repairing previously analyzed damages to similar items. Further still, the server may generate a payment for compensating a claimant for repair of the insured item.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method, a service node and a system for providing IP redundancy between a first service node and a second service node being mutually redundant. The first and the second service nodes are connected via a virtual connection. The first service node has a physical network interface to an IP node and a virtual network interface to the virtual connection. The first service node comprises a routing table having a cost associated with the virtual network interface. The method comprises steps of detecting by the first service node that the second service node is unavailable, updating in the routing table the cost from a higher value to a lower value and informing the IP node connected to the physical network interface of the update of the cost so as to process at the first service node traffic addressed to the second service node.

Abstract: A method and processing node for processing node redundancy, wherein an unavailability of a primary processing node is first detected, and the linkset route to the unavailable node is inhibited by sending Transfer Prohibited (TFP) messages to Signal Transfer Point (STPs) adjacent to the unavailable node. Further, Transfer Allowed (TFA) messages are sent to the STPs in order to enable an alternate linkset route to the secondary processing node, i.e. the standby backup node. A Virtual Service Address (VSA) is reassigned from the unavailable primary node to the remaining node that takes over the processing of the unavailable node and thus becomes the primary processing node. The unavailability of the processing node may be detected via a heartbeat mechanism between the two redundant nodes, or via receipt of TFP messages from the adjacent STPs. The method and processing node may be used in a hot standby configuration or in a load sharing configuration.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method, a service node and a system for providing IP redundancy between a first service node and a second service node being mutually redundant. The first and the second service nodes are connected via a virtual connection. The first service node has a physical network interface to an IP node and a virtual network interface to the virtual connection. The first service node comprises a routing table having a cost associated with the virtual network interface. The method comprises steps of detecting by the first service node that the second service node is unavailable, updating in the routing table the cost from a higher value to a lower value and informing the IP node connected to the physical network interface of the update of the cost so as to process at the first service node traffic addressed to the second service node.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing graphic images on sheet material has a thermal print head with a linear array of heating elements pressed into engagement with an ink web overlying the sheet material on a platen. The platen extends in the lengthwise direction of the print head across the width of the sheet material, and is rotatably driven to in turn drive the sheet material with the ink web relative to the print head. A removable cassette having a predetermined length of ink web bearing a printing ink is mounted adjacent to the print head with the ink web interposed between the sheet material and the print head for printing the graphic images on the sheet. A supply spool carrying the ink web is rotatably mounted in the cassette, and a take-up spool is also rotatably mounted in the cassette for receiving the ink web from the supply spool upon passage between the platen and print head.

Abstract: A wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material; and methods and apparatus for controlling the tension of the donor sheet during printing with a wide format thermal printer. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing graphic images on sheet material has a thermal print head with a linear array of heating elements pressed into engagement with an ink web overlying the sheet material on a platen. The platen extends in the lengthwise direction of the print head across the width of the sheet material, and is rotatably driven to in turn drive the sheet material with the ink web relative to the print head. A removable cassette having a predetermined length of ink web bearing a printing ink is mounted adjacent to the print head with the ink web interposed between the sheet material and the print head for printing the graphic images on the sheet. A supply spool carrying the ink web is rotatably mounted in the cassette, and a take-up spool is also rotatably mounted in the cassette for receiving the ink web from the supply spool upon passage between the platen and print head.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing designs, halftones, alphanumeric and other printed matter on sheet material utilizes a thermal printhead that is pressed against sheet material on a roller platen during a printing operation. A donor web bearing an ink material is interposed between the printhead and the sheet material on the roller platen. In order to improve the print quality, the printer includes a pressure regulating mechanism which not only controls the pressure between the printing head and roller platen at different pressure levels but also allows the printing head and platen to be separated and moved away from one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing graphic products utilizes a printer to print on sheet material and a cutter to cut the sheet material with the printed material within the periphery of the cut edges. Both the printer and the cutter are controlled by machine readable data having a common data base so that the printed material and the cut material correspond positionally in the final graphic product. The printer is a thermal printer that places the printed material on a strip of sheet material generally before the sheet material is cut. The thermal printer utilizes a donor web bearing a transfer ink to create enhanced printed images on the sheet material with half tones, color and other attractive features. The printer is controlled to regulate a number of printing parameters through coding on a cassette in which the donor web is supported.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing graphic products utilizes a printer to print on sheet material and a cutter to cut the sheet material with the printed material within the periphery of the cut edges. Both the printer and the cutter are controlled by machine readable data having a common data base so that the printed material and the cut material correspond positionally in the final graphic product. The printer is a thermal printer that places the printed material on a strip of sheet material generally before the sheet material is cut. The thermal printer utilizes a donor web bearing a transfer ink to create enhanced printed images on the sheet material with half tones, color and other attractive features. The printer is controlled to regulate a number of printing parameters through coding on a cassette in which the donor web is supported.

Abstract: A knife and knife holder assembly for use with a sheet material cutting machine includes a replaceable knife with a lower most tip point and a guard and clamp member having a shoe surface engagable with the material being cut to limit the knife's penetration. An adjustment means and a connecting means associated with the guard and clamp member and with the holder allow for quick and easy adjustment of the vertical position of the member on the holder to vary the amount by which the knife protrudes beyond the shoe surface, thereby adjusting its penetration, and also allows quick and easy movement of the member between tightened and loosened conditions relative to the holder, the knife being removable from and replacable in the holder and the member being vertically adjustable in its loosened condition, and the guard and clamp member in the tightened condition of the connecting means being itself fixed to the holder and also holding the knife clamped in a fixed position to the holder.