Sand Fountain in Saudi Arabia

A fountain of sand erupted in the desert of saudi arabia and until today geologists don’t have a clue or an explanation to what is going on. Scientists say that this will bring out some minerals and metals that we have never seen or encountered before..

Suddently, a 9-meter fountain (geyser) apparead, in the Al-Ahsae City, Eastern Saudi Arabia.
Immediately, Armaco geological teams and scientists hurry to deal with this strange phenomenon,
but they did not succeed in explaining what happened ! But they agreed on a theory (…)
that these are -what so called- burdens of the Earth.

Some scientists said this phenomenon will lead to apparency of new materials, which will change the humanity way of life …

Understanding Search Engine Patents

Search related patents provide insight into what’s going on in search engine algorithms, and search marketers who understand these “rules of ranking” are better positioned to win top position in search results.

Skype launches new beta for feature phones

Skype announced a beta version of its client for Java-enabled mobile phones with the current list of compatible devices from Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung. The intent of this new mobile client is to expand Skype to the mass market feature phone.

While Skype is a VoIP solution that is extremely popular around the world, this current beta mobile implementation actually uses standard calls over carrier networks to make the actual call from your mobile phone. Most feature phones/mass market phones do not support WiFi or 3G networks in the U.S. so this is probably the best way to currently get the calls initiated. There are a few select countries where you can actually make calls via the Skype network directly in this current beta too, including Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The call is then routed through Skype’s network to the person you are calling and the only charges that will apply are your carrier minutes. When you initiate a call a pop-up appears to ask if you want to make the local call and my phones kept calling an 813 area code number. It still does use WiFi or 3G networks to maintain your presence and carry out chats so it is a rather seamless experience on your device.

Orqis(R) Medical Awarded 15th U.S. Patent

Medical Corporation, a medical products company developing and marketing devices to improve cardiac performance through Aortic Flow Therapy, announced today that the USPTO has issued U.S. Patent number 7,331,921 (the ‘921 patent) entitled “Implantable Heart Assist System and Method of Applying Same.” The ‘921 patent which discloses and claims methods and apparatus for intravascular renal (kidney) perfusion is exclusively owned by Orqis and is the Company’s 15th U.S. Patent.

Patent #: US7331921
Title: Implantable heart assist system and method of applying same
Abstract: An extracardiac pumping for supplementing the circulation of blood, including the cardiac output, in a patient without any component thereof being connected to the patient’s heart, and methods of using same. One embodiment of the intravascular extracardiac system comprises a pump with inflow and outflow conduits that are sized and configured to be implantable intravascularly through a non-primary vessel, whereby it may positioned where desired within the patient’s vasculature. The system comprises a subcardiac pump that may be driven directly or electromagnetically from within or without the patient. The pump is configured to be operated continuously or in a pulsatile fashion, synchronous with the patient’s heart, thereby potentially reducing the afterload of the heart. In another embodiment, the system is positioned extracorporeally, with the inflow conduit and outflow conduit applied percutaneously to a non-primary vessel for circulating blood to and from the non-primary vessel or between the non-primary vessel and another blood vessel within the patient’s vasculature.
Assignee: Orqis Medical Corporation
Filed: June 28, 2004
Issued: February 19, 2008

Signalife Awarded New U.S. Patent, ‘System For, And Method Of, Monitoring Heartbeats Of A Patient’

USPTO has awarded Signalife, Inc. a new and important patent entitled “System For, And Method Of, Monitoring Heartbeats Of A Patient”. The patent, which covers 37 claims, will enhance the Company’s ability to develop new proprietary products.

ADA-ES Awarded Patent for Enhancement of Mercury Control Equipment

USPTO issued ADA-ES a patent covering technology to improve the performance of activated carbon injection equipment for control of mercury emissions from coal-fired electrical generating units. The invention is directed generally to treatment of gases to remove controlled materials and specifically to the treatment of flue gases to remove mercury and other contaminants.

Patent #: 7361209
Title: Apparatus and process for preparing sorbents for mercury control at the point of use
Abstract: A system for treating a contaminated gas stream is provided that includes a comminution device 204 operable to effect size reduction of a plurality of sorbent particles and form a plurality of comminuted particles, a plurality of nozzles 224 distributed through the gas stream and operable to introduce the plurality of comminuted particles into the gas stream, and a particle removal device 104 operable to remove at least most of the introduced comminuted particles and form a treated gas stream. The comminution device is in direct fluid communication with the nozzles.
Assignee: ADA Environmental Solutions, LLC
Inventors: Durham; Michael D,  Martin; Cameron E
Filed: April 2, 2004
Issued: April 22, 2008

TCS Issued Patent

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. , a leading provider of mission-critical wireless communications, today announced the USPTO has issued patent number 7,355,990 for “Mobile-Originated. The invention relates to the communication between a mobile (i.e., wireless) device and an application server via a short message service center (SMSC) and the Internet.

Title: Mobile-originated to HTTP internet communications
Abstract: A mobile device-to-HTTP protocol gateway (MHG, or “MO Gateway”) which translates between Wireless Mobile Originated commands from an SMSC, and an application server on the Internet (i.e., a “web IP Server”). A wireless Internet gateway establishes communications with one or more relevant SMSCs using standard format SMPP commands, and the MHG utilizes HTTP protocol POST messages to post short messages originated at the mobile device to a particular URL. Return results are received by the MHG via HTTP protocol messages, translated to SMPP messages, and forwarded back to the SMSC for delivery to the mobile device. The wireless Internet Gateway communicates with the MHG using RMI protocol commands. An MHG in accordance with the principles of the present invention enables a developer to create mobile applications using standard web development tools, e.g., Java Servlets. The MHG allows standard format command messages to be used throughout the pathway between a mobile device and an application program on a web IP server at a particular URL.
Filed: April 25, 2005
Issued: April 8, 2008
Inventors: Smith; Richard A, Wilson; Johanna

Instant Messaging Functionality for iPhone, Apple patent

A recent patent filing titled “Portable Electronic Device for Instant Messaging ” indicates that Apple is getting closer to adding its own instant messaging client to the iPhone.

The filing (US Patent 20080055269) covers methods for sending, receiving, and viewing ongoing conversations. The proposed GUI is similar to Apple’s current interface for SMS.

The application reads: “The GUI has a set of messages exchanged between a user of the device and another person. The set of messages (is) displayed in a chronological order. In response to detecting a scrolling gesture comprising a substantially vertical movement of a user contact with the touch-screen display, the display of messages (is) scrolled in accordance with a direction of the scrolling gesture.”

The application does mention SMS, but there are serveral references to “IM” and “Instant Messaging”. The patent application provides background on Instant Messaging.

Jury Orders Microsoft to Pay Alcatel-Lucent $367 Million

A jury in San Diego ordered Microsoft to pay Alcatel-Lucent US$367.4 million for infringing on two patents, adding a new chapter to a long-running dispute between the companies.
The jury, in U.S. District Court in San Diego, found that Microsoft had infringed on two patents involving user interface technology. It also found that Microsoft didn’t infringe on another Alcatel-Lucent patent related to video decoding. The court ruled that patent, which Alcatel-Lucent alleged was infringed in MPEG2-based DVD playback in Windows, is invalid.
According to Microsoft, which will try to overturn the infringement verdict, Alcatel-Lucent had hoped to receive $1.75 billion in damages. Microsoft called the video patent ruling a victory for the many companies that use MPEG video-decoding technology.

The case dates back to 2003, when Alcatel-Lucent charged Microsoft, Dell and Gateway with patent infringement.

Last year, a court reversed a $1.5 billion patent infringement case against Microsoft in a case Alcatel-Lucent brought against the software giant related to MP3 technology.

There’s more to come in the ongoing battle between the companies. On April 22, the San Diego court will hear a case Microsoft is bringing against Alcatel-Lucent, accusing it of infringing on nine patents.

Lawsuit Claim: Students’ Lecture Notes Infringe on Professor’s Copyright

University of Florida professor Michael Moulton thinks copyright law protects the lectures he gives to his students, and he’s headed to court to prove it.

Moulton and his e-textbook publisher are suing Thomas Bean, who runs a company that repackages and sells student notes, arguing that the business is illegal since notes taken during college lectures violate the professor’s copyright.

Faulkner Press filed suit in a Florida court Tuesday against the the owner of Einstein’s Notes, which sells “study kits” for classes, including Professor Michael Moulton’s course on “Wildlife Issues in the New Millennium.”

Those notes are illegal, Faulkner and Moulton contend, since they are derivative works of the professor’s copyrighted lectures.

If successful, the suit (.pdf) could put an end to a lucrative, but ethically murky businesses that have grown up around large universities to profit from students who don’t always want to go to the classes they are paying for.

The suit could also have ramifications for more longstanding businesses such as Cliffs Notes, which summarize copyrighted novels.

Faulkner Press publishes two e-textbooks that Moulton wrote and uses in his classes, and sells its own set of class notes for the course.

But James Sullivan, Faulkner Press’ attorney, says the suit isn’t about money for the professors, it’s about protecting its intellectual property.