Abstract: The disclosure relates to sharing of information regarding a conditional action in an electronic device. The device includes a communication module for processing a signal for communication with other devices, and a processor. Herein, the at least one processor receives a ruleset including information regarding at least one conditional action from another electronic device via the communication module, and executes the ruleset. The ruleset may include at least one ruleset of which a permission for at least one of reading, modification, and deletion is limited.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to sharing of information regarding a conditional action in an electronic device. The device includes a communication module for processing a signal for communication with other devices, and a processor. Herein, the at least one processor receives a ruleset including information regarding at least one conditional action from another electronic device via the communication module, and executes the ruleset. The ruleset may include at least one ruleset of which a permission for at least one of reading, modification, and deletion is limited.

Abstract: A device includes a storage unit, a processor and an output unit. The storage unit is configured to store identification information and a plurality of temporary contact data items. The processor is configured to select one of the temporary contact data items based on the identification information and a first time index. The output unit is configured to output the selected temporary contact data item. The selected contact data item may include at least one of, e.g. a temporary telephone number, a temporary email address, a temporary IP address, and a temporary uniform resource identifier (URI).

Abstract: A method includes transmitting optical signals through a heterogeneous sequence of spans of an all-optical transmission line. Each span has an optical transmission fiber connected to an optical amplifier. Each amplifier launches the signals into a sequential remainder of the line. The transmitting includes launching the optical signals into the highest loss fibers with substantially equal average optical launch powers or operating the spans with the highest loss fibers to have substantially equal quality products. The average optical launch powers are substantially equal to the inverse of a sum of (1?Tj)?j/[?NL·?j] over the highest loss fibers. The parameters Tj, ?j, and ?j are the respective are, respectively, transmissivity, nonlinear optical coefficient, and loss coefficient of the fiber of the j-th span. The parameter ?NL is the line's cumulative nonlinear phase shift.

Abstract: An improved MAC aggregation technique is disclosed that yields an aggregate MAC much shorter than the concatenation of constituent MACs while achieving improved resilience to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. The aggregate MAC is constructed in a manner wherein upon instance of channel impairments or malicious attack (e.g., from a rogue node or man-in-the-middle attacker), only a portion of the aggregate MAC will include corrupted data, at least a portion of the aggregate MAC thereby including valid verifiable data. A source of corruption of the aggregate MAC may be ascertained based on indicia of which constituent MACs are included in the valid portion; and constituent MACs that are wholly included in the valid portion may be declared valid.

Abstract: A secondary battery and charging system are provided within an electric car or other electric drive vehicle. The secondary battery may, e.g., be owned by the electric utility. The battery is removable and can be charged and discharged independently of the primary car battery system. The utility can use the secondary battery to implement vehicle-to-grid functionality.

Abstract: An improved MAC aggregation technique is disclosed that yields an aggregate MAC much shorter than the concatenation of constituent MACs while achieving improved resilience to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. The aggregate MAC is constructed in a manner wherein upon instance of channel impairments or malicious attack (e.g., from a rogue node or man-in-the-middle attacker), only a portion of the aggregate MAC will include corrupted data, at least a portion of the aggregate MAC thereby including valid verifiable data. A source of corruption of the aggregate MAC may be ascertained based on indicia of which constituent MACs are included in the valid portion; and constituent MACs that are wholly included in the valid portion may be declared valid.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting optical signals through a heterogeneous sequence of spans of an all-optical transmission line. Each span has an optical transmission fiber connected to an optical amplifier. Each amplifier launches the signals into a sequential remainder of the line. The transmitting includes launching the optical signals into the highest loss fibers with substantially equal average optical launch powers or operating the spans with the highest loss fibers to have substantially equal quality products. The average optical launch powers are substantially equal to the inverse of a sum of (1?Tj)?j/[?NL·?j] over the highest loss fibers. The parameters Tj, ?j, and ?j are the respective are, respectively, transmissivity, nonlinear optical coefficient, and loss coefficient of the fiber of the j-th span. The parameter ?NL is the line's cumulative nonlinear phase shift.

Abstract: A secondary battery and charging system are provided within an electric car or other electric drive vehicle. The secondary battery may, e.g., be owned by the electric utility. The battery is removeable and can be charged and discharged independently of the primary car battery system. The utility can use the secondary battery to implement vehicle-to-grid functionality.

Abstract: A secondary battery and charging system are provided within an electric car or other electric drive vehicle. The secondary battery may, e.g., be owned by the electric utility. The battery is removable and can be charged and discharged independently of the primary car battery system. The utility can use the secondary battery to implement vehicle-to-grid functionality.

Abstract: Device having first wick evaporator including first membrane and plurality of first thermally-conductive supports. First membrane has upper and lower surfaces. First membrane also has plurality of pores with upper pore ends at upper surface of first membrane and with lower pore ends at lower surface of first membrane. Each of first thermally-conductive supports has upper and lower support ends. Upper support ends of first thermally-conductive supports are in contact with first membrane. Each of first thermally-conductive supports has longitudinal axis extending between the upper and lower support ends, average cross-sectional area along axis, and membrane support cross-sectional area at upper support end, the membrane support cross-sectional area effectively being smaller than average cross-sectional area. First thermally-conductive supports are configured to conduct thermal energy from lower support ends of first thermally-conductive supports to first membrane.

Abstract: A multimedia (audio and video) insertion system, an A/V premises decoder, a content manager and a method of inserting local content into a multimedia stream at a customer's premises. In one embodiment, the A/V premises decoder includes: (1) a signal converter configured to convert a received digital multimedia stream to an analog multimedia stream, and (2) a content inserter configured to insert secondary content in the analog multimedia stream based on control information associated with the secondary content.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods that track the location of an object within a video image at the time of capture of the video image are described. The location of the object within each frame can be recorded as meta-data for the video image so that when the video image is played back, a viewer can select the object using suitable interaction means and be linked through to a source of additional information about the object, such as a product website or the like. A device emitting radio frequency (RF) signals is attached to an object that is to be identified and tracked within a video image. Using an RF receiver with multiple antennas and applying trilateration techniques, the object's location within the video image is determined in real time and recorded as the video image is recorded. Where multiple objects are to be tracked, each object is provided with a radio device having a unique ID and the location of each device within the video image is recorded.

Abstract: A remotely controllable power switch of an appliance and a method of employing a remotely controllable power switch of an appliance to control the overall load that an electric power distribution network bears. The method may include a method of employing a remotely controllable power switch of an appliance to compute the rate that a particular customer pays for electric power. In one embodiment, the remotely controllable power switch of an appliance includes: (1) a switching device coupled between an input and an output of the remotely controllable power switch of an appliance and (2) communication circuitry coupled to the switching device, addressable only by class and configured to receive a turn-off signal and turn off the switching device in response thereto.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting optical signals through a heterogeneous sequence of spans of an all-optical transmission line. Each span has an optical transmission fiber connected to an optical amplifier. Each amplifier launches the signals into a sequential remainder of the line. The transmitting includes launching the optical signals into the highest loss fibers with substantially equal average optical launch powers or operating the spans with the highest loss fibers to have substantially equal quality products. The average optical launch powers are substantially equal to the inverse of a sum of (1?Tj)?j/[?NL·?j] over the highest loss fibers. The parameters Tj, ?j, and ?j are the respectiveare, respectively, transmissivity, nonlinear optical coefficient, and loss coefficient of the fiber of the j-th span. The parameter ?NL is the line's cumulative nonlinear phase shift.

Abstract: A method for identifying video network problems for digital cable and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) service providers based on real-time on-line video quality monitoring by customers. A video quality problem reporting button is provided on each customer's set-top box and/or on a remote control unit therefor, which is used by the customer to report a video quality degradation problem to the service provider. Based on an aggregation of video quality problem reports by a plurality of customers, and based on geographical and topological information regarding these customers in connection with knowledge of the network topology, a network management system of the service provider advantageously identifies, locates, and potentially diagnoses a network problem.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing real-time on-line video quality monitoring for digital cable and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) services, wherein a problem reporting button is advantageously provided on a (video service provider's) customer's set-top box and/or on a remote control unit therefor. Such a button may be advantageously used by the customer to report a video quality degradation problem to service providers. Illustratively, a single push of this button initiates the reporting process to report the existence of a problem regarding video quality which the customer is experiencing. The customer may indicate the severity of the problem with use of the button, and may also respond interactively to questions and or suggestions presented by the service provider on the video screen. Such an interactive troubleshooting procedure may be implemented as software on the set-top box.

Abstract: Techniques for heat transfer are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a heat-transfer device is provided. The heat-transfer device comprises one or more microchannels suitable for containing a heat-transfer fluid, one or more of the microchannels having protruding structures on at least one inner surface thereof configured to affect flow of the heat-transfer fluid through the one or more microchannels. The structures may comprise posts coated with a hydrophobic coating.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting optical signals through a heterogeneous sequence of spans of an all-optical transmission line. Each span has an optical transmission fiber connected to an optical amplifier. Each amplifier launches the signals into a sequential remainder of the line. The transmitting includes launching the optical signals into the highest loss fibers with substantially equal average optical launch powers or operating the spans with the highest loss fibers to have substantially equal quality products. The average optical launch powers are substantially equal to the inverse of a sum of (1?Tj)?j/[?NL·?j] over the highest loss fibers. The parameters Tj, ?j, and ?j are the respectiveare, respectively, transmissivity, nonlinear optical coefficient, and loss coefficient of the fiber of the j-th span. The parameter ?NL is the line's cumulative nonlinear phase shift.

Abstract: Techniques for heat transfer are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a heat-transfer device is provided. The heat-transfer device comprises one or more microchannels suitable for containing a heat-transfer fluid, one or more of the microchannels having protruding structures on at least one inner surface thereof configured to affect flow of the heat-transfer fluid through the one or more microchannels. The structures may comprise posts coated with a hydrophobic coating.