Home automation is a concept that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Previously, it was only part of commercial buildings and a few high-end homes. However, with technological solutions becoming more readily available, “smart homes” are now within the reach of the ordinary homeowner.
Generally, home automation refers to the process of connecting systems and devices in the home with each other via the internet. This is in order to gain automatic and remote control of the systems from anywhere with a mobile device.
If you are looking into home automation, Harbour View Electric Inc is your ultimate partner. We can give you customized solutions for your home’s needs in Amityville, NY and adjacent Melville and Deer Park areas.
Call and speak with the owner directly!
One and done... the right way.
Home Automation Services and Components
There are many services and systems that can be automated in a home. These are for example:
- Home appliances
- Power outlets
- Heating and cooling systems
- The home’s alarm or security systems and cameras
- Fire monitoring
- Surveillance of the home
- Door and window locks
- Audio speakers
- Window and door shades and blinds
Basically, there is no limit as to the number of services that can be added to a home automation system as long as they can be programmed.
How do home automation systems work?
The main aim of an automation system is to bring together all systems to be automated in a home under one system or controller. This is, for example, a smartphone, tablet or a personal computer. The systems can then be remotely controlled from this central device, from any location.
More than the remote control of various functions, home automation systems offer the opportunity to automate services. To be able to automate a service or system, you need to program instructions into the system. For example, you can schedule electronic window blinds to open at daylight and close at dusk. Another example is setting air conditioning systems to automatically adjust temperatures based on outside temperatures.
One and done... the right way.
Harbour View Electric Inc.
We’re Open, Call Now!
Benefits of Home Automation
Is home automation worth it, you may wonder? There are several benefits of a smart home. For example:
- Cost savings: Automated systems offer numerous opportunities to save on cost despite the initial costly investment. For instance, you save money on energy bills when your heating and cooling systems adjust according to temperatures. Also, you can prevent wastage such as switching off lights, appliances, and utilities that are not in use.
- Increased safety and security: Automated systems offer a good way to monitor the home’s security. This includes alerts of unusual movements in the home from sensors in alarms. Safety measures can also be incorporated into the home’s system to ensure that the home is free of accidents. For instance, through fire and smoke alarms and flooding alarms.
- Comfort: Home automation offers a good level of comfort for the home’s occupants. This is because the automated system controls most of the key functions in the home. Therefore, you do not have to worry about forgetting to switch off lights, sprinklers or other important functions.
Overall, home automation is the trend to look out for. Moreover, it can be as easy as beginning with a few systems and adding systems over time. If you want a stress-free home with automated systems to handle most of the functions for you, call us now on (516) 523-7884. Our experts will give you a system to run your home in Amityville, NY and the nearby areas of Babylon and West Islip.


The industry standard LM75/TMP75 is now available with high accuracy and a wider temperature range. The TMP1075 is a drop-in replacement for the most prevalent digital temperature sensors with enhanced features. The TMP1075 provides up to ±0.5°C typical accuracy over the −25°C to +85°C range, and ±1°C typical accuracy over the −55°C to +125°C range with 12-bit resolution, giving a temperature resolution of 0.0625°C. The Texas Instruments TMP1075EVM (Evaluation Module) provides the user a simple way to get started with TMP1075. The module and GUI are designed to provide the user a quick setup to evaluate the system and register map. The EVM features a perforation that allows the temperature sensor to be placed away from the MSP430 for remote temperature measurements and a header to connect multiple TMP1075's to the controller. This document provides detailed information about the hardware design and software installation.
- Provides GUI for simple and fast setup
- Perforated PCB allows sensor to be placed in user’s system
- Up to ±0.5°C typical accuracy with 0.0625°C resolution (12-bit)
- Example of PCB layout for fast thermal response time


text:
Stuart R Ferguson
Internal Organ Treatmen Denver
Address: 1601 Lowell Boulevard, Colorado, Denver 80204
Specialty: Internal Medicine
Description - Stuart R Ferguson Internal Organ Treatmen Denver
Doctor Stuart R Ferguson specialist Internal Medicine. The address of the doctor's office is 1601 Lowell Boulevard.Board Certifications: Board Certified by the American Board of Internal MedicineState License: ColoradoYears Since Graduation: 38 YearsAwards: Awards for Dr. Stuart R Ferguson, MD are not present.

domain: medical


text:
Treat yo' self - Biscoff Box
Perfect for sending as gifts or for exactly that.... Treat yo' Self.
This box is letterbox friendly and contains -
1 Golden Caramel Chocolate bar loaded with an assortment of toppings as shown - Lotus Biscoff Biscuits, Caramel Nibbles and White Chocolate Chips
2 Loaded Lollies - Milk and White Chocolate
Chocolate Bar approx 150g
Lollies approx 40-45g
Please note -
Toppings may vary
Dairy, Gluten and Soya Lecithin.
Best consumed within 3 months.
Produced in an environment where all allergens are used.

domain: food


text:
The only thing more entertaining than watching Floyd Mayweather Jr. unleash a devastating barrage of punches on a heavier sparring partner ... is watching him do it while calling the bigger guy a "bitch."
TMZ has obtained footage of Floyd training in a Las Vegas gym earlier this month, where he let his hands ... and his mouth ... do the talking.
Floyd's sparring partner never backs down from the fight -- and even tosses around a few expletives of his own after Floyd taunts him.
Mayweather is kinda/sorta set to fight Manny Pacquiao sometime in March ... maybe.
Mayweather Jr. Verbally Abuses Sparring Partner
12/30/2009 10:35 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
Get TMZ Breaking News alerts to your inbox

domain: news


text:
Mini-Machines 101 General 2DVDs | ISO | 3.87 GB + 3.9 GB
Mini-Machines 101 (General-1): Mill & Lathe Spindle & Gearbox Repair (about 75 minutes)
We don't like to think about it, but machines break, and always at the worst possible time. This video shows you how to do spindle and gearbox repairs on both the mini mill and the mini lathe. You will see how to do a total drive train teardown, rebuild and reassembly of both machines. You'll learn how to tear down and reassemble the entire unit in just a few hours, using a simple set of spacers and plates to enable you to press your spindle and bearings in and out of the machine.
Mini-Machines 101 (General-2): Toolmaking and Restoration(about 60 minutes)
This video delves into the art of restoring damaged parts, as well as how to design and fabricate special tools for our projects, whatever they may be.
Have you ever had a part with the threads so damaged that you can't put a die over them to clean them up? This video demonstrates with a 40-year-old oil pump shaft from a vintage Italian Aermacchi engine, where the shaft was so mushroomed on the end as to be worthless. Learn the technique to synchronize the lathe to the existing threads, enabling you to re-cut the damaged threads and save the part.
It shows you how to measure and lay out a complex bolt pattern from the same engine manually, and tricks for doing it with a CAD program.
Then the video shows how to use the layout to make a universal press and separator tool, as well as flywheel and armature pullers; tools that are no longer available, yet necessary to disassemble the motor. Along the way, it discusses material and design considerations for tooling in general.
For those of you who haven't yet cut threads with your mini lathe, this is a great introduction to the process.
Download from FileServe
Download from Hotfile

domain: hobby


text:
» you are wasting your money. even if it works (a big if) there is little
» chance that it is going to make it to market before they run out of money.
» histogens product uses embryonic stem cells which have yet to approved by
» the fda. you have to believe that if histogen is going to be the first
» embryonic stem cell therapy the fda is going to require them to present a
» TON of data with LARGE, LONG safety trials.
» Also a kid in isreal used embryonic stem cells to treat some disease and
» now he has cancer. So this is going to get a TON of scrutiny.
» I wouldn’t use it and wouldn’t want to rub it on my head.
From Histogens site,
Histogen, launched in 2007, seeks to redefine regenerative medicine by developing a series of high value products that do not contain embryonic stem cells or animal components. Through Histogen’s proprietary bioreactors that mimic the embryonic environment, newborn fibroblasts are encouraged to naturally produce the vital proteins and growth factors from which the Company has developed its rich product portfolio. Histogen has two product families - ExceltrixTM, Histogen’s human Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and ReGenica, Histogen’s proprietary liquid formula.
The actual first embryonic stem cell trial is being held by a company called Geron who are looking for a treatment for spinal injury.
You are right about fetal (Not embryonic) stem cells causing cancerous tumors in some cases, this is because the injected cells grow out of control.
Here is an article about the case you are talking about
"Then he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2005. That tumor, it turns out, grew out of the stem cells, obtained from at least two aborted fetuses, used in his brain.
The tumor was benign, doctors safely removed it, and it has gradually been growing back since the surgery. But this is the first-known case of a brain tumor caused by a brain stem cell therapy, according to the report—a phenomenon scientists have predicted in the pages of Scientific American and elsewhere. The theory is that because these stem cells are fetal cells, they are designed to proliferate and give rise to new tissue, which means they have the potential to produce tumors. The case, write the authors of this week’s case study, should serve as a warning that more research is needed to gauge the safety of these novel therapies.
Other stem cell experts echo their concerns and worry that scientists don’t yet understand exactly how stem cells used in such treatments behave once inside the body. Treating neurological disorders with stem cells from fetal brains is a “great scientific goal to pursue,” but there is simply not enough evidence from animal studies, let alone human studies, to prove it is safe or effective for treating these diseases in children, says Sean Savitz, a neurologist at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Savitz has just begun enrolling patients in a study on treating adult stroke victims with their own—adult—stem cells. The intent of the boy’s treatment must have been to use these fetal stem cells to regenerate tissue lost in certain areas of the brain, Savitz speculates, but he adds, “we don’t have a full understanding of how [brainlike] stem cells can generate different cells in the brain.”
Savitz says that the stem cells used in his trial are not likely to cause cancer because they are adult cells taken from bone marrow that die once they have accomplished their mission of repairing brain tissue.
Again, it was FETAL stem cells NOT EMBRYONIC that caused the tumor, it is still unknown if embryonic stem cells can cause cancer but they have been shown to KILL cancer cells.
Here is an interesting recent article on stem cells and cancer,


text:
Sunset of the Confederacy
by Morris Schaff, 1912
The author of this book, Morris Schaff, was not actually present for the scenes he describes. Though he served briefly as an aide-de-Camp
for General Warren during the Battle of the Wilderness,
at the Battle of Petersburg he was placed in command of an ordinance depot at City Point.1
The explosion of the depot, described on page 458 in the history of the 22nd Massachusetts Regiment
Schaff's duty in the field. Though he remained in the army until 1871.
I'll jump you to the chapter that most pertains to Chamberlain, though there are other references to him in this book.
Chamberlain wrote a letter to Schaff after reading this book expressing his surprise at being so flatteringly portrayed.
"Your passage on the 'spiritually real of this world,' and your association with it of any action or trait of mine,
are like a command and consecration to me. I must live up to your appraisal."
Chamberlain goes on to say that he is not sure where Schaff got his information but wonders if perhaps
Schaff heard his speech Appomattox
. Chamberlain relates that this speech is one of many taken from
the early draft he started after the war while he was retained in the army, "in that softened mood of adjusting myself
to the process of recovery from severe wounds." He expressed his intent to publish these in a book,
which he did as The Passing of the Armies2
On page 299 Schaff wishes he can be in hearing when taps is played at Chamberlain's funeral.
He was, as reported by the Bowdoin Orient

domain: library


text:
Like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” some health advice sounds too simple to be true. But a new study has found that walking about 10,000 steps per day lowers your chance of getting dementia by half, and walking briskly lowers it by 68%.
If that just sounds like too many steps, don’t despair: taking even 4,000 a day will cut dementia risk by a quarter. The analysis, published in JAMA Neurology, studied the walking habits of over 78,000 adults for a three-year period and compared them to medical records many years later.
The health benefits of walking have been researched before, said Raphael Balbino, MD, a geriatrician with Baptist AgeWell Center for Health. One patient of his, in her 80s, walks 11,000 steps every day no matter what, either by doing errands or through supplemental exercise.
“It’s something she has internalized,” Dr. Balbino said. “She feels like it's something positive she can do to influence her health.”
A daily routine of 10,000 steps may only seem high because life in Western countries has become so sedentary, Dr. Balbino added. People from other cultures are used to walking long distances on a daily basis and they are going to naturally be healthier because of it. For example, in Okinawa, Japan, where life expectancy is the highest in the world, walking and cycling are more common than driving, Dr. Balbino said.
“My grandmother lives in Brazil and never drove a car. For decades she walked long distances several times each day, to buy groceries at the store, produce at the market, or to go to church,” Dr. Balbino said. “She’s 92 and is limited from walking now due to health issues. But her mind is still as sharp as a tack.”
Making steps routine
You don’t necessarily have to go the gym to put more steps into your day. Simple choices can add up. Try:
- Standing and pacing during a conversation, rather than sitting
- Walking the dog
- Parking the car at the far end of the lot
- Finding a convenient path near home or work to take a walk
- Taking a walk during your lunch break
People who have trouble walking might try pedaling a leg exercise machine while sitting.
“It’s important to exercise more,” Dr. Balbino said. “But it doesn’t have to be, ‘This is one more box I have to check off.’ You can build it into what you’re already doing.”
The exercise-brain connection
Doctors believe walking helps reduce vascular dementia, which is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s. It develops when blood flow to the brain is impaired. This can happen when blood vessels become damaged by cholesterol and fats or from toxins, like those in cigarettes. When this occurs, the vessels don’t deliver oxygen to the brain as effectively.
“Just like in your heart or other parts of your body, you need good circulation to feed your body and your brain,” Dr. Balbino said. “That’s what vascular sufficiency is.”
Exercise helps reduce inflammation in blood vessels and promotes better circulation by building more capillary pathways. It’s one of the pillars of a brain-healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, a healthy diet, social connections and mentally stimulating activities.
“People who live this way are much less likely to get dementia,” Dr. Balbino said. “Or if they do, it’s more likely to be mild and something that happens at the very tail end of life, as opposed to something the person is living with for 10 years or more.”


text:
You have searched for "passenger service charge"
Showing 141-150 of 197
KUALA LUMPUR: Air tickets are likely to cost about 6% more for local destinations if airlines do not absorb the extra cost with the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year.
PETALING JAYA: With Khazanah Nasional’s recovery plan for Malaysia Airlines (MAS) laid out, analysts believe the AirAsia group is the likely direct beneficiary of the potential industry route restructuring on the medium-haul network, which allows the industry yields to rise in Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has expressed concern over the differences in passenger service charges (PSC) between KLIA and KLIA2, contending that the rates should be the same for both air terminals.

domain: travel


text:
Borrow Up To
Easy Online Application
Getting a loan is fast and easy!
All Types of Income Accepted
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domain: finance


text:
The Archdiocese of Boston has revealed the most detailed accounting of its finances to date. And the bottom line is not solid. As Monica Brady-Myerov reports, it's dealing with debt and a decrease in revenue.
This program aired on April 20, 2006. The audio for this program is not available.

domain: economics


Prof. Kweku Azar Takes A Swipe At Nana Addo's Government, "It Is a Wreck," Just as He Did To Mahama.
In a Facebook post by renowned Kwaku Azar, he frontally attacks our attitude as a nation to key issues of development and writes that: "Our politics has been reduced to who should hold what positions with total disregard, even disdain, for issues, ideas, and ideology.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide paper has thought that the Appointments Committee of Parliament can't have the last say in the endorsement or dissatisfaction with regards to any of the clerical candidates.
A social media and civil advocate, Professor Kweku Azar has fingered the University Teachers Association of Ghana, UTAG for the colossal amount of money the politicians and the article 71 office holders earn as salary and allowances. He literally blames the Teacher union for what he termed, 'juicy perks and privileges' given to these group of public servants.
They ought to resign or be fired: Prof Kweku Azar and Prof Kwesi Prempeh Disagree With The Judiciary
On February 25, 2021 the Judiciary Service of Ghana issued a press release via their legal counsel to caution Ghanaians, particularly the media houses, for publishing hateful and offensive statements against the bar.
The member of parliament for Assin Central Constituency, Hon Kennedy Agyapong has incurred the wrath of US based Ghanaian legal practitioner and law lecturer, professor Kwaku Asare popularly known as Kweku Azar after saying Akuapem Poloo deserves at least one year in prison.Hon Kennedy Agyapong in an interview said the Ghanaian actress and social media influencer, Rosemond Brown whose case has been on top of news that she deserves to be given more than one year to teach her lessons.
Today, March 1, the NDC members on the Appointment Committee of Parliament have unanimously rejected three presidential nominees to occupy various political portfolios.
The outspoken legal professor, Kweku Azar, has directed his counsel to withdraw his case against the Auditor-General.
The vice president of the IMANI Centre For Policy And Education policy Think Tank, Kofi Bentil in an open chat with Ghanaian US based legal practitioner Professor Kwaku Asare popularly known as lead Azar said he cannot trust Godfred Yeboah Odame to execute the promises he made at the vetting. Professor Kwaku Azar who in a post was eulogising Godfred Odame for his eloquent and loud promises and exhibited in-depth knowledge in the area of law was shocked to hear Godfred Odame may not exercute his promises just
Today, March 6, 2021 the famous Ghanaian law professor, Kweku Azar, was one of the guest panellists of News File program on Joy News.
“Supreme Concert”: Ghanaians Chastise Prof Kweku Azar for Making Contemptuous Statement on Facebook.
Today, February 22, 2021 the Supreme Court of Ghana (SC) pronounced a “strange verdict” regarding the 2020 election petition.
A renowned lawyer,Kweku Azar has made a case for the establishment of a law school in the Northern part of Ghana. He argues that the Northern part of the country which has five regions and with a population of more than eight million Ghanaians is big enough to have a law faculty of its own.
The nationality and retirement date of the Auditor General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has caused brouhaha in the country after the Audit Service Board found anomalies in his records.The Audit Service Board claims that the Auditor General is a Togolese and has passed his retirement age.
“What type of expectation is this?”: Professor Kweku Azar breaks silence on the 2021national budget.
Today, March 13, 2021 the outspoken law professor, Kweku Azar, has expressed his candid opinion regarding the 2021 budget statement of Ghana which was read by Honourable Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority leader in Parliament.
Ghanaian legal practitioner professor Kwaku Asare popularly known as prof Kweku Azar has bemoaned how an injunction which nearly marred the inauguration of the speaker of parliament has easily be forgotten. Prof Kweku Azar questioned the status of the injunction issued from Cape Coast high court restraining the member of parliament for Assin North Constituency, Hon Ato Quayson from holding himself out as MP-elect until the final determination of the petition "The injunction, which travelled by supersonic speed
Today, March 16, the renowned Ghanaian law professor, Kwaku Azar, has vented his anger towards the Ghana Legal Council (GLC) on his Facebook page after Supreme Court (SC) dismissed his review application and further charged him GH10,000.
The outspoken law professor, Kweku Azar, has questioned the under development vicious cycle of Ghana despite the enormous human and capital resources at our disposal.
The predominant housing deficit in Ghana, specifically in the urban centres, should be a great concern to government and other major stake holders. The establishment of Ministry of Works and Housing (MWH) has not significantly improved the affordability of conducive houses in the country. The Affordable Housing Project which was started by Ex President John Agyekum Kuffour has come to standstill for over a decade. The least completed houses under this useful initiative are more expensive than its intended
It seems decisions and rulings coming from the Supreme Court with regard to the ongoing election petition no longer surprises anyone anymore, additionally, it seems the Court is becoming so predictable anytime it is about to deliver a verdict. This assertion was cemented a while ago, when Professor Kwaku Asare, a Ghanaian Law professor based in the United States of America (USA), known for his deep understanding of law, posted on his face wall expressing no surprise by this morning's decision of the court.
A Professor of law based in the United States of America, Prof. Kweku Azar has received the refusal of A lchimota School to respect a directive by the Ghana Education Service (GES) as surprising.
On February 17, 2021 the outspoken law professor, Kweku Azar, expresses his grievances toward the stereotyping of ladies in the various tertiary institutions in Ghana on his Facebook page. According to the renowned law professor, Kweku Azar, the Vice Chancellor of University Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has ordered lecturers to sack students who dress indecently to lecture hall. He believes that the institution has embarked on frivolous exercise. This is because the school has implemented a policy


text:
Paul Lambert has named an unchanged starting line-up for today's Barclays Premier League game against Stoke City.
The Villa boss has opted to stick with the same eleven that earned a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers last weekend.
The boys in claret and blue also go into the game with the same personnel on the bench.
It means Chris Herd keeps his place after a solid display at Loftus Road, while Eric Lichaj continues in the left-back spot.
Stoke have made one change from their 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
Match-winner Dean Whitehead replaces the suspended Charlie Adam in midfield.
Former Villa striker Peter Crouch takes his place on the bench for the Potters after having mouth guard fitted.
VILLA: Guzan, Lowton, Baker, Clark, Lichaj, Holman, Westwood, Bannan, Herd, Agbonlahor (c), Benteke. Subs: Given, Ireland, El Ahmadi, Weimann, Williams, Delph, Bent.
STOKE: Begovic, Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Shotton, Whelan, Nzonzi, Etherington, Whitehead, Jones, Walters. Subs: Sorensen, Palacios, Upson, Kightly, Crouch, Wilkinson, Jerome.


text:
A report from the Department of Animal Health showed that 46,217 hectares of aquaculture area were damaged in 2020, or 1.9 times higher than in 2019.
The damaged brackish water shrimp hatchery area was 43,340 hectares, up by 1.94 times. The figure was 1,426 hectares for catfish, up by 5.76 times, which accounted for 25 percent of the country’s total catfish farming area. In addition, 1,452 hectares of oyster and other fresh-water aquatic species were also damaged.
The farming area of infected shrimp increased by 7.4 percent over the year before, and the reasons behind the damage have not been identified in over 76 percent of the damaged area.
Meanwhile, the total damaged aquaculture area has reached 1,897 hectares so far this year, a decrease of 61 percent compared with the same period last year.
However, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Health Nguyen Van Long has warned that the damaged area may increase sharply and the risk of epidemics is high in the time to come.
This has happened because farmers intensified cultivation while the weather conditions were unfavorable. Dangerous pathogens still exist in many farming areas, which can invade and cause disease to shrimp.
Besides, the adverse effects such as rising temperature, salinity, and extreme environment changes may cause shrimp to grow slowly and have weak resistance. Changing environmental conditions will create favorable conditions for pathogens to develop and cause disease to shrimp.
NAFIQAD (National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department), has reported that since the beginning of 2021, 40 export consignments have been refused because of food hygiene problems, higher than 14 refused consignments in the entire year of 2020.
In the first two months of the year alone, 15 seafood consignments exported to China were refused, while the figure was only six in 2020.
Ngo Hong Phong, deputy director of NAFIQAD, said at the 2021 conference on aquatic epidemic prevention and control that some markets have regularly changed the procedures on certifying food safety for seafood exports.
Shrimp products that meet the requirements on heat treatment (cooked shrimp) will be exempted from quarantine in South Korea. However, the long heat treatment time will affect products (color, taste, etc...).
The South Korean market has set five additional five disease criteria for some kinds of seafood products. From August 1, 2021, export consignments to South Korea must be associated with quarantine certificate for these five diseases.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said Vietnam exported $8.5 billion worth of seafood products in 2020. The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and producers (VASEP) predicted that the export turnover may reach $8.8 billion this year.
Last year has been a year with ups and downs for the seafood sector. While the consumption and export of basa fish stagnated mostly due to the global health crisis, shrimp farmers still saw a successful 2020.
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has announced a list of 697 Vietnamese seafood enterprises permitted to export their products to Taiwan, reported the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processors and Exporters (VASEP).


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Banksy gets a lot of attention, but street art (a.k.a. graffiti) is exploding in popularity worldwide (Flickr/caruba)
It’s been a little over a year since world-famous graffiti artist Banksy wrapped up his summer residence – and wall domination – in New York City. But for many of us who sleuthed around the city in hopes of discovering his latest masterpiece, it was only the beginning of our love and appreciation of street art. Not since the 1980s, the birth and boom of this medium, has street art been so popular. Once the bane of building owners and police officers, it is now starting to gain worldwide acceptance. And with the style evolving from straight tags to multimedia instillations, even governments are starting to support this form of urban sprawl.
Here’s a look at the best cities to spot some of today’s most impressive (and free) art!
While London may be an obvious pick, it deserves a mention on this list because it’s home to three key players in the graffiti world: Banksy, Steve Lazarides, and D*Face. Thanks in part to their success, the city’s East End – specifically the inner area of Shoreditch and the art community of Hackney Wick – have become magnets for international artists.
This piece by Borondo incorporates the canal. (Photo: Dave Stuart)
This year, Spanish artist Borondo has been enthralling London with a stunning series of murals. “His stand-out achievement is a face painted upside on the support of a bridge spanning the Hertford Union Canal in Hackney Wick,” says Dave Stuart, the principal guide and photographer for Shoreditch Street Art Tours. “The face reflects the right way up in the canal, and with wind and gentle ripples on the canal surface, the mouth moves and the eyes wink at us. A sensational piece of kinetic, location-specific street art.”
Also giving Londoners whiplash is South African female artist Faith 47. According to Stuart, over the last 18 months she has created a number of stunning outdoor paintings, the most popular located on Leonard Street in Shoreditch of “a nun-like figure cradling a dying swan located in her arms.”
In Paris, good street art is respected, especially this piece by Vhils. (Photo: Jessica Zimmerman)
Paris has always been known for its artists. Because of that, Parisians take a much more contemplative stance on street art. “Cleanup crews often leave works deemed ‘more artistic’ alone,” says Jessica Zimmerman, journalist and project leader at Underground Paris, a street-art touring company in Paris.
On the tour is an impressive piece by Vhils, a Portuguese artist, who created an inverted relief sculpture of a face by etching into the walls on the Rue de la Fontaine au Roi.
Another favorite is the magical, mind-bending mural on Rue Lemon by Alexis Diaz, a Puerto Rican artist. His image of a bird in a boat attached to a floating heart is simply breathtaking.
Alexis Diaz’s bizarre yet eye-catching work in Paris (Photo: Jessica Zimmerman
American artists JBAK created Berlin’s tallest-ever mural (Photo: JBAK)
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, artists took to the streets with spray cans to show their creativity and to voice their beliefs. Today, freedom of expression is alive and well on the city walls. “The reputation of Berlin’s anarchist and thriving art scene made it almost impossible for international artists to not want to leave their mark here,” says Adie Sampson, founder of Alternative Berlin Tours, a tour company that offers unique views of the city, including its street art scene.
There are three works that Sampson suggests visitors see stat. In Lichtenberg on Landsberger Allee, American duo JBAK created the tallest mural ever painted in the city. The image features three bright-colored, photorealistic individuals standing on each other’s shoulders to get a view of the city. In Friedrichshain, American artist Tristan Eaton’s giant 50-ft woman, created in different colors and patterns, brightens up a tony neighborhood. And for the third stop, Sampson recommends visitors see the stone-blasted portrait by Vhils, chipped (with the help of some dynamite) into the wall by the Spree River.
Artist Tristan Eaton’s 50-Foot Woman attacks Berlin (Photo: Adie Sampson)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
South America’s art history has always reflected its social turmoil. But unlike other places that have experienced political clashes, the graffiti scene in this city works to rise above the past. “The majority of street artists in Argentina do not mix art with politics,” says Matt Fox-Tucker, founder of Buenos Aires Street Art. Instead, “they express themselves in their own way, painting artwork with a lot of positive energy and color in their very unique styles.”
Fintan Magee’s “The Displaced” (Photo Matt Fox-Tucker)
This is evident in a number of the pieces currently on view in this tropical paradise. Australian Fintan Magee created “The Displaced,” which pays homage to the aftermath of the severe floods that hit both Buenos Aires and his hometown of Brisbane, Australia in 2013. One of the largest murals in the city is of surreal characters being carried by a skateboard. This piece by Argentine artist Martin Ron called “Tale of Parrots” took 16 days and 16 gallons of latex paint to complete. But not to be forgotten is the tribute piece by JAZ, another Argentine artist. The two Minotaurs represent two children, Teta and Salta, who were victims of police brutality. To see other pieces by equally creative artists, check out the bohemian neighborhoods of Palermo (where Che Guevara once lived) and Belgrano.
JAZ’s minotaurs (Photo: Matt Fox-Tucker)
Miami’s street art scene has exploded in recent years (Flickr/Rob Larsen)
Once considered the cultural and moral wasteland of America, Miami has gotten a much-needed makeover in the last 10 years. While Art Basel is central to it, the transformation of the Wynwood section of town can’t be ignored. In 2009, real estate developer Tony Goldman, looking for a way to turn around the run-down warehouse area of the city, bought 30 buildings and turned them into virtual canvases for internationally known graffiti artists. The goal was to brighten up the facades and create a place where people would want to visit. The Wynwood Walls, as they are now known, have done way more than that. They have turned Miami into an epicenter for emerging artists and for graffiti fans. The plan is to change the murals every two years to keep things fresh and inviting.
Brazilian artist Nunca has a big presence on Miami’s Wynwood Walls (Flickr/Wally Gobetz)
With that knowledge, you should rush there now to see work by some of the geniuses of the genre. Among the mix? Large-scale figures created by Brazilian artist Nunca that resemble a cross between characters from Goya and “Where The Wild Things Are.”
Brooklyn, New York
The birthplace of graffiti is clearly rooted in New York City. In Brooklyn — specifically the hipster havens of Williamsburg and Bushwick — you can see the latest and greatest things happening in the medium, from comic-book looks to photo collages and woodcut-style stencils.
“Brooklyn has a unique combination of being a place where the artists live and have the wall space to support the endeavor,” says Gabriel Schoenberg, president of Graff Tours, which shows off street art in New York, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles.
ROA’s multi-species mural in Brooklyn (Wally Gobetz/Flickr)
A few pieces, Schoenberg says, are especially buzzy in the BK right now. “The ROA mural in Williamsburg is something to note,” he says. The three-story mural of a fox, raccoon, and skunk, done in his signature black-and-white strokes looks “lifelike.” The new three-story How and Nosm piece of classic playing cards on Flushing Avenue in Bushwick “is a heart-stopper;” and the Icy and Sot piece for the Bushwick Collective “takes on a tough topic.” The image, which sits on the corner of Wyckoff and Flushing, is titled “Rocket Vs Rocks” and illustrates the Israeli and Palestinian crisis.
Navajo Nation, Ariz.
Graffiti art has always been a means for those with no voice to shout a message to the world. That concept remains strong in the Navajo Nation. In order to raise awareness and revenue for businesses owned by Native Americans, graffiti artist Jetsonorama started the Painted Desert Project, creating eye-catching images on the roadside stands in the city.
Other artists who have lent a hand and spray can include international street art sensations Gaia, ROA, Alexis Diaz, and Doodles. Among the striking large-scale murals that can be seen is Jetsonorama’s image of a Native American with his hands up, which adorns three side-by-side water towers.
Beco de Batman (Batman Alley): the epicenter of Sao Paulo’s street art scene (Flickr/Melina Kuroiva)
Sao Paulo is, in many ways, known for its political street art. Lasar Segall, the Brazilian Jewish painter who called Sao Paulo home, often portrayed human suffering and war in his expressionist paintings. Segall’s home is now a museum dedicated to his art, but that isn’t the only place in this city to stir your cultural conscience.
In fact, Sao Paulo has become known for its building-swallowing murals created in Brazilian folk art and pixo reto styles (Sao Paulo’s original graffiti). The famous Beco do Batman (Batman Alley), in the bohemian barrio (neighborhood) of Madalena, is like a constantly changing, open-air art exhibit often featuring pieces from graffiti artists Sinha, Speto, Dask2, Dorme, or Os Gemeos (twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo). In Vila Santana, a commercial and residential district known for its culture and entertainment, vibrant pieces by the up-and-coming generation of “grafite” artists – Nunca, Carlos Dias, and Titi Freak – are spray-painted along the walls.
What could possibly be offensive about this work by artist Smug? (Photo: Eddie Jim)
There’s an art movement spreading throughout Melbourne, Australia, and the evidence is etched all over the city’s alleyways around Hosier and Caledonian Lanes. Artists including Kid Zoom, the Yok, Reka, Rone, Sheryo, and Miso have made this city their canvas. And with an accepting, if not encouraging, attitude toward these modern-day artists, the city is fast becoming the mecca for those new types of street styles, including wheatpastes, poster art, stencils, and murals. Artist Smug recently caused a stir with a commissioned piece he did on Fitzroy Street. The image shows the repugnant Aussie character or “yobbo,” drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette. A single resident took offense because of the beer, and the $2,500 mural will be covered up. Other well-known artists brightening up the city walls include Sofles and Adnate, who is known for his striking portraits of Aboriginal children.
Bethlehem, West Bank
American Steve Braudt teamed up with local artist Moodi Abdallah to create this work near the Bethlehem checkpoint (Photo: Yamen Elabed)
In the West Bank, the 25-foot high concrete wall that divides the Israeli and Palestinian territories has become a visual voice for many for artists, locals, and even tourists. “Most of the art reflects the life and frustrations of the Palestinian people,” says Yamen Elabed, lead tour guide for Murad Tours in Bethlehem. The majority of the art can be found in refugee camps, especially near the Aida camp, but “wherever there is any free space on the walls and buildings from Bethlehem to East Jerusalem to Ramallah and all over the West Bank, you will find street art,” says Elabed.
While there are hundreds, if not thousands, of murals, a few of them stand out above the rest. With the help of local artist Moodi Abdallah, American artist and pastor Steve Braudt has been creating rainbow-hued images of love and forgiveness on the wall near the Bethlehem checkpoint. Ramallah-born artist Sami Deek has also been turning heads with images that mirror the conflict. And in some cases, artists are making their murals projects for peace. International duo How and Nosm’s bold designs were part of a project with Medical aid for Palestinians.


South Korea and the United States had a joint air force demonstration over the Yellow Sea against North Korea's missile provocations.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korea and the U.S. conducted aerial demonstrations in response to North Korea's continued ballistic missile provocations.
In response to North Korea's eight short-range ballistic missiles and SRBMs on the 5th, South Korea and the U.S. responded with eight ground-to-ground missiles and ATACMS early on the 6th.But this time,armed demonstration was conducted in the air.
20 Fighter aircraft, including 16 F-35A, F-15K and KF-16 equipped with precise guided weapons and 4 F-16 from the U.S. Air Force in Korea, participated in the joint air force protest flight.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, South Korea-U.S. fighter aircraft formed an offensive squadron in the airspace over the Yellow Sea to overwhelmingly respond to enemy threats.
JCS also said that the joint air forceflight demonstrated the combined defense capabilities and posture of South Korea and the U.S. and showed strong ability and willingness to quickly and accurately strike any North Korean provocations.
The JCS explained that the South Korean military is maintaining a firm readiness posture while tracking and monitoring related trends under close cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. in preparation for further provocations by North Korea.


In today's world, embedded systems are everywhere ,homes, offices, cars, factories, hospitals, plans and consumer electronics. Their huge numbers and new complexity call for a new design approach, one that emphasizes high-level tools and hardware/software tradeoffs, rather than low-level assembly-language programming and logic design
It covers trends and challenges, introduces the design and use of single-purpose processors ("hardware") and general-purpose processors ("software"), describes memories and buses, illustrates hardware/software tradeoffs using a digital camera example, and discusses advanced computation models, control systems, chip technologies, and modern design tools
Embedded systems engineer is a relatively new job classification that merges electrical engineering and computer science. These computer engineers work on hardware and software designs for electronic medical equipment, industrial and military control systems, mobile communications devices, appliances, and remote controls. They need at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, and some schools now offer certificate and undergraduate and graduate degree programs in embedded systems engineering.


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Shingo Shoji Ironic Fandom
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Shingo Shoji (庄司 慎吾 Shōji Shingo) is a character and one of the antagonists from Initial D manga and anime series. He's one of the members of Myogi Night Kids along with Takeshi Nakazato.
Why They Always Fail At Duct Tape Deathmatch
- They make part of the Initial D Ironic Fandom, Need for Speed Fandom and Forza Fandom.
- Not only that, they'll attempt to impersonate Shingo by hitting other players' cars in video games just for giggles, also ruining their races.
- If you criticize Shingo Shoji or say that you dislike him, they'll openly mock you.
- Overusage of "COOL VIBRATIONS" (one of the first lyrics of Vicky Vale's "Dancing"), "DABURU CRASHU IKOZE!" and "GAMU TAPU DESUMACHE" (Engrish for "Duct Tape Deathmatch") to the point where it start to get pretty annoying.
- They treat Shingo as one of the best characters in the entire franchise while portraying the leader of Myogi Night Kids, Takeshi Nakazato a "terrible driver" regarding the scene where his Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32) suffered from understeer (due to his tires wearing out during the race and the said car's weight), crashed into a guardrail and causing the car to spin out. Prior character development, Shingo (unlike the protagonist, Takumi Fujiwara, who relies on clean racing and pure skill) was a notorious driver who relies on ramming his opponents off the road during the races in order to destabilize their cars, causing a huge risk of being involved in fatal accidents. In Act 15 of First Stage, he tried to kill Takumi by ramming his AE86 Trueno off the road only for the latter to drift before the contact, which resulted in Shingo wrecking his own Honda Civic.
- Speaking of the third reason mentioned above, they view his Honda Civic SiR (EG6) as a flawless god in the whole franchise, despite there's other cars that perform way better than the former such as the Mazda RX-7 FD3S/FC3S, Nissan Skyline GT-R ("Nakazato understeer" jokes aside) or even the Honda S2000!
- They're aware of Shingo Shoji's flaws, specially in his pre-character development stage.
- Some of their memes can actually be pretty funny.
- Some of the fans respect other's opinions and can take criticism.
- A portion of the fans are mature.

domain: entertainment


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By the year 2050; UN has estimated the world population to touch a whopping 9.7 billion! The population of India itself is projected to reach around 1.52 billion people with 70% of the increase in urban areas by the year 2036 and it is projected to take over top-ranking China around the year 2031. Also, Nigeria is likely to replace the USA as the third most populous country around the year 2050.
With this estimated rise for India and China alone and the rapid rise in the overall world population; the need to scale up food production is quite evident and more likely to be an emergency.
To avoid any food crisis means, we have to think ahead of time to be equipped with smarter ways of producing food and managing resources!
And to our rescue comes technology!
Yes! It is now time to quickly chart and deploy measures with advanced technology support in the form of Sensors, Robotics, Nanotech and AI (Artificial intelligence)! And the good news is that these technologies are already paving ways; to plough crops through farms to support mass crops cultivation and production in order to match up with the enormous food supply needs to be projected across the globe.
AI & Robotics:
What Agriculture needs today is sustainable and futuristic solutions. Factors such as climate change, population growth and food security concerns have propelled the industry into seeking more innovative approaches to protecting and improving crop yield. As a result, AI is steadily emerging as part of the industry’s technological evolution.
FarmView is an excellent example of demonstrated use of AI in agriculture. In a demand to enhance plant breeding and streamlining crop management practices; researchers in FarmView are combining AI, Sensors and Robotics to build a fleet of farm robots!
Armed with a multispectral camera and a laser scanner; the field robot can take a visual survey and then at the start of the season can combine computer vision and machine learning to predict fruit or crop yield.
It is actually programmed to gather agricultural data with incredible levels of accuracy that can help growers better manage food growth rate and high-quality food with minimum use of land and water resources.
AI is also assisting farmers to analyze weather conditions, temperature, water usage, soil conditions; all this in real-time! The intelligent technology is helping farmers to plan better for more fruitful yields; to help choose best hybrid seed and crops and even zero-in on appropriate resource utilization. Precision agriculture is another by-product of AI to help detect and target weeds; enabling farmers to make informed decisions about the use of herbicides at the same time avoid excess use of chemicals to eliminate the diseased crops or weeds.
Sensors are the latest sensation in crop cultivation, and the example of grape cultivation demonstrates the use of robotically deployed sensors that facilitate the increase in grape production by actively managing the vine.
Also; the sensors help count the grapes and measure leaf canopy in order to make informed decisions about the crop growth.
A well-balanced vine always produces better fruit with minimum resources and this balance is what these technological marvels can achieve.
This is precisely what the world needs too; the right balance between food production and world population.
Next on the list worth mentioning is the use of Nanotechnology; seen as a boon for plant growth, fertilizers and pesticides. These nanoparticles (Ag, Fe, Cu, Si, Al, Zn, ZnO, TiO2, CeO2, Al2O3 and carbon nanotubes) that range from 1–100 nm have potential to impact the nutritive and healthy quality of the crop.
A good solution is a sustainable technology; these nano-particles are predicted to be the promising agents for fertilizers, pesticides and plant growth. Nano-materials are also being used as antimicrobial agents in food packaging and silver nanomaterials are already in great demand.
Various applications of nanotechnology can be useful for overall enhancement of agricultural production. Its applications such as nano-formulations can impact crop improvement; nano-sensors can help protect crops by detecting diseases, nano-devices for genetic engineering of plants, post-harvest management and enabling poultry health & production.
There are several benefits of the agri-tech support, such as higher crop yield due to accurate forecast, optimized use of resources owing to a comprehensive analysis of farms further reducing the price of crops, reduced environmental impact due to accurate forecast of natural calamities affecting crops and increased food nutrition value with minimal use of pesticides in farming.
But, the real impact of technology would only be seen when it reaches every part of the world. Especially in countries where there are tremendous gaps between the economies and education, it is difficult to deploy the technology at mass.
Another factor to be considered is the size of land and the price at which this technology is acquired. It has to be justified to make it profitable for agricultural workers. I think this factor can be overcome by clustering the lands in an area and deploying technology at a larger scale.
In order to have ample resources for crop production; I think monitoring and management of the resources are crucial. The cutting edge technology-produce such as crop breeding, robotic phenotype, intelligent irrigation for crop production and management is to make sure the world never runs out of its food resources and prepares us to be in it for the long haul!


Erebus Motorsport Mercedes E-Class V8 Supercar completes the field [w/videos]Sat, 23 Feb 2013 16:59:00 ESTFord, Holden and Nissan introduced their V8 Supercar challengers a while back. Erebus Motorport, whose racing program got the green light not even 120 days ago, has finally shown off the Mercedes-Benz E-Class racer that will complete this year's field of entries. The first AMG race car ever to be built outside of Germany, it's an Australian-built tube-frame chassis specced to the series' Car of Tomorrow rules, fitted with body panels that channel the E63 AMG.
Supported by AMG Customer Motorsport, the 5.0-liter engine is provided by HWA in Germany, the racing arm of AMG. Regulations dictate that it have roughly 650 horsepower, a redline between 7,000 and 7,500 rpm and a torque curve that matches the parity baseline set for all cars.
Lee Holdsworth, Tim Slade and Maro Engel will drive the three team cars, each with different sponsors. Their first showing will be at the Clipsal 500 on March 3 in Adelaide, here in the US we'll get to see them in May at the Circuit of the Americas. Check out the videos below of the Erebus car starting up at its launch, and footage of all of this year's cars doing pre-season testing on track together.
By Jonathon Ramsey
See also: Mercedes-Benz S-Class presentation leaked, debuting in May, 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic [w/video].


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Health And Fitness
Food And Drink
Apple: expect a radical iPhone redesign for its 10th anniversary
Women of color who left Google share their experiences of racism and discrimination
NASA came up with a brilliant way for visually impaired people to ‘see’ the eclipse.
Terms and Conditions


text: Giant, light pink fruit grow to 2 lbs. or more, but are incredibly productive for such a large tomato. The fruit is virtually crack-free and smooth in shape except for ribbing at the shoulders. It is very juicy with delicious, sweet flavor. This is an extraordinary variety due to its size, productivity, and very good taste. Indeterminate. 85 to 90 days.


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Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviewed by Matt Forrest
Direct from London’s West End Let It Be, has been on a magical mystery tour across the UK for quite some time now, the final stop off is the Manchester Opera House.
Chronicling The Beatles meteoric rise from their humble beginnings at Liverpool’s now world-famous Cavern Club through to global superstardom. We taken on a journey through a 40 song back catalogue of some John, Paul, George, and Ringo’s finest works including legendary sets from The Royal Varity Show, Shea Stadium and the Apple roof top gig.
Opening rather cheekily with four analogue television sets placed in the corners of the stage: they’re playing adverts and songs from the era. ‘The Fab Four’ arrive on stage and immediately launch into She Loves You, followed by I Wanna’ Hold Your Hand, which immediately has the crowd singing along. As demonstrated in the Shea Stadium section The Beatles famously quit touring because they couldn’t hear themselves play, based on the audience reaction tonight I can see why: most the tunes played tonight had the audience belting them out as if they on stage with the band: the more up-tempo numbers seeing them dancing in the aisles.
The cast are on great form: Emanuele Angeletti (Paul McCartney) John Brosnan, (George Harrison) Ben Cullingworth (Ringo Starr) and Michael Gagliano (John Lennon) do a fine job in brining the boys to life. Some would argue that this would be one of the easiest gigs on the planet but if you get it wrong I’m sure you’d know about It! Luckily these talented performers manage to not only bring the music to life but also show the personalities within the band off as well. From George Harrison’s shyness, Ringo’s playfulness, to Lennon’s over-the-top show man (which can be a little grating at times,) there are subtle character traits throughout, at one point Angeletti performs minus his shoes!
One minor quibble are the accents: they are a bit all over the place and can be a little distracting, but you cannot fault them on the vocals and musicianship. The Beatles had George Martin as their 5th member and the cast of ‘Let It Be’ are no different with musical director Daniel Weiss joining them on keyboards.
Those expecting a slice of musical theatre or a musical jukebox show may need to temper their expectation: this show is a concert only with plenty of theatrical elements including some great authentic costumes, and high-end production values.
The second half poses a what if question: that being what if the band reformed to play live on John Lennon’s birthday. We are treated to more Beatles hits as well as few from their solo offerings which included: My Sweet Lord, a haunting version of Imagine and a full throttle rendition of Live and Let Die. For me I loved this bold attempt to freshen up the act, whilst some audience members weren’t as keen, maybe it was a lack of familiarity with the material. The show soon gets back on familiar territory with a blistering encore of Back in the USSR, Let It Be, and Hey Jude, which had everyone on their feet and rattling their jewellery.
Overall this was a great show what it lacks in emotional depth it makes up for in sheer entertainment. Let It Be will have you singing and toe-tapping away all night long.
Let It Be is on at the Manchester Opera House until Saturday 27th October tickets available here.

domain: artistic


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The use of existing shapes and objects plays an important role in the work of Olaf Mooij (1958). These existing shapes and objects provide inspiration and influence the direction he takes.
Olaf Mooij sees the car as a rich source of fuel for his imagination, he considers the car to be a living creature that goes through a life cycle, from birth to a return to dust. It is therefore understandable that these works are comprised primarily of car components, both life size and toy size.
The use of car parts resulted in a series of works ‘Relics of a Bygone Era’ in which the car is hardly recognisable. Sometimes only just recognisable, abstracted to a contour, a profile, or a cross-section. These pieces are created in combination with a diversity of materials such as polyester, rubber, wood, moulding resin or papier-mâché – all materials that give the image a tactile quality.
Each image is a car in a state of metamorphosis, a car skin, a car spermatozoon, a car egg, a car fossil, a car skeleton, etc. What first appears to be an embryo preserved in formaldehyde is actually a car in a state of transition, with a tail like a tadpole or a spermatozoon.
The first car artwork that Olaf Mooij made was the DJ Mobile 2005 (collection VRT Belgium). Parallel to the life cycle pieces, this work led to the creation of a series of sound objects that also incorporate existing shapes and objects. The Soundsystems have often been used at festivals such as Down The Rabbit Hole and Pukkelpop (B) but are rarely exhibited as objects, while the life cycle works are regularly exhibited.
This exhibition presents these two worlds alongside each other.
For the most recent selection of art works in the Van Abbevitrine, please click the following link.
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domain: design


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to telephone call log data accessible by a subscriber.
2. Background Information
The written description provided herein contains acronyms which refer to various telecommunications services, components and techniques, as well as features relating to the present invention. Although some of these acronyms are known, use of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, the acronyms are defined as follows:
Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Generic Data Interface (GDI)
HyperText Mark-Up Language (HTML)
HyperText Transfer Language Protocol (HTTP)
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
Off-Hook Delay (OHD)
Call Log (CL)
Personal Call Manager/Personal Communications Manager (PCM)
Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
Service Control Point (SCP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Signaling System 7 (SS7)
Signaling Transfer Point (STP)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Presently, a number of advanced intelligent network (AIN) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) based telephone systems enable dynamic interaction between their customers and their respective service accounts. Servers, databases, intelligent peripherals and other external data network elements interface with the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to process and store information created during routine handling of telephone calls. For example, names may be associated with incoming calling party numbers using an external directory database while the PSTN is processing the call. The name, telephone number and other call specific information may then be stored in an external database for access by the customer.
For example, an outgoing call logging database is described in Brandt et al. U.S. Patent Publication 2003/0026413 entitled System and Method for Creating and Accessing Outgoing Telephone Call Log. Brandt et al. describes a system for providing an outgoing call log on an external database. Brandt describes a system and a method to store, display and report outgoing call log data in an external data base associated with outgoing telephone calls from a subscriber's telephone. The Brandt system includes a switch in one network that receives a telephone call from the subscriber's telephone and launches a query in response to an AIN trigger to a service control point (SCP). In response, the SCP forwards associated call data to an interface server in another network via a generic data interface. The interface server obtains additional information from a directory database and sends the call data and the additional information to an external outgoing call log database, which stores the call data and the additional information as the outgoing call log data. A web server retrieves the outgoing call log data and displays it to the subscriber at a web client.
The present invention provides access to an aggregation of call log information for multiple telephone networks and multiple telephone numbers for a subscriber at a single site. The present invention provides an asynchronous communication protocol for sending call log data to a subscriber's mailbox over the Internet. The present invention enables the integration in Internet space of a call log for incoming and outgoing calls for multiple telephone systems and multiple telephone numbers including wireless and wire line PSTN and VoIP telephone systems, and makes the integrated log available to a customer at a single site in Internet space. The present invention provides a simple method and apparatus for extracting call log information from a telephone system and placing it in Internet space without impacting performance of the underlying telephone system. Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a call log for all incoming and outgoing calls associated with a subscriber telephone line. In another aspect, the invention provides a call log integrated for a plurality of telephone systems including PSTN and VOIP telephone system platforms. In another aspect, the invention provides an aggregate call log for all of a subscriber's telephone numbers as they appear in a customer profile or a customer account in a data base and an integrated call log accessible to a subscriber graphic user interface (GUI) in Internet space. It is another object of the invention to provide simple communication of asynchronous integrated call log data to a subscriber. It is another object of the invention to provide a Call Log Message Transfer Agent for translating TCAP messages from an underlying telephone system into SMTP call log messages. The SMTP messages are sent to a unified communication (UC) platform for entry of call log data at a subscriber's mailbox. It is another object of the invention to provide a mapping between TCAP messages and SMTP messages for communication between a plurality of telephone systems and a common call log site. These and other objects of the invention will be described in the following description and figures.
Examples of certain features of the invention have been summarized here rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the contributions they represent to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto.
For detailed understanding of the present invention, references should be made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements have been given like numerals.
In view of the above, the present invention through one or more of its various aspects and/or embodiments is presented to accomplish one or more objectives and advantages, such as those noted below.
One aspect of the invention provides a call log for all incoming and outgoing calls associated with a subscriber telephone line. In another aspect of the present invention an integrated call log for a plurality of underlying telephone systems including PSTNs, VoIP platforms and wireless networks is provided. In another aspect of the present invention an integrated call log is provided in Internet space for all incoming and outgoing calls for a plurality of phones and telephone numbers associated with a subscriber. In another aspect of the present invention simple asynchronous communication of call log data to a UC subscriber is provided. In another aspect of the present invention a CL MTA (Call Log Gateway) for translating TCAP messages to SMTP call log messages for entry of call log data at a common site is provided. In another aspect of the present invention a mapping between TCAP messages and SMTP messages for communication between a plurality of telephone systems and a common call log site is provided.
The underlying telephone system 52, launches an Off Hook Delay (OHD) or Terminating Access Trigger (TAT) from the Service Switching Point (SSP) to Service Control Point (SCP) 103 when a telephone call is detected. By way of example, the SCPs 103 may be implemented with the Bellcore Integrated Service Control Point, loaded with ISCP software Version 4.4 (or higher), available from Telecordia, Murray Hill, N.J.
The SSP 54 in an originating central office (CO) for the subscriber telephone 50 and the SSP 55 is a terminating CO for the called party telephone 51. However, the terminating CO and the originating CO may be the same, or there may be any number of intervening switches routing the connection between the subscriber telephone 50 and the called party telephone 51. The SSPs 54 and 55 include, for example, 1AESS or 5ESS switches manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc., or DMS-100 switches manufactured by Nortel Networks Corporation (Nortel), or AXE-10 switches manufactured by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson.
The 1AESS switches may use an AIN Release 0.1 protocol and should be equipped with Generic 1AE13.01 (or higher) software and associated AIN SSP features. The 5ESS switches may utilize an AIN Release 0.1 protocol and should be equipped with Generic 5E12 (or higher) software and associated AIN SSP features. The DMS-100 switches (release NA009) may utilize an AIN Release 0.1 protocol and associated AIN SSP features. The AXE-10 switches may utilize an AIN Release 0.1 protocol and should be equipped with Generic 8.07 (or higher) software and associated AIN SSP features. The call service logic of the present invention may be upgraded to accommodate future AIN releases and protocols and future trigger types. Specifications of AIN Release 0.1 SSPs may be found in Bellcore TR-NWT-001285, Switch-Service Control Point Application Protocol Interface Generic Requirements, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Voice data for the telephone call is transmitted from a PSTN or a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network including a PSTN and VoIP gateway 64 (GW)/gatekeeper (GK) 51. The gatekeeper 51 determines where calls coming from the VoIP GW 64 should be routed. Normally calls are routed to gate servers implemented on Cisco equipment. In the present example of the invention the gate servers are the TUI Application Server 80. These servers run on Sun equipment running the Sun Solaris Operating System or on PC's running the Linux operating system. The VoIP GW 64 provides a bridge between the PSTN 52 and the Internet 107 enabling PSTN telephone calls to be converted into VoIP calls. VoIP systems are well known in the art.
As shown in
The OHD trigger activated by the SSP 54 causes call data to be sent to the SCP 103 for processing, via the existing signaling system 7 (SS7) network (and appropriate STP 56), in a known manner. The call data includes the called party number and the calling party number.
Significantly, the telephone call is not suspended at the SSP 54 switch during execution of the call log service. Rather, the call completes in a normal fashion based, in part, on any instructions from the SCP 103 to the originating SSP 54, and/or the terminating SSP 55. For example, the subscriber and the called party may subscribe to additional telephony services that may be activated by call placement or receipt. These services would continue to be processed during execution of the outgoing call log service. The call is completed, connecting the subscriber telephone 50 with the called party telephone 51 through at least the originating SSP 54.
While the telephone call is being processed and routed, the SCP 103 communicates with the call log gateway 105, which functions separately from the PSTN. In an embodiment of the invention, the interface between the SCP 103 and the call log gateway 105 is a Bellcore GDI client. This GDI client interface provides the capability to send and receive transactions to and from external systems using known transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) with transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) messages. The GDI client therefore enables the SCP 103 to generate messages to request data, send data or invoke an application (InvokeApp) to the CLMTA 105.
The SCP 103 sends an InvokeApp message to the CLMTA 105 via the GDI client 107. The InvokeApp message (also referred to as TCAP message) includes the call log data which may include the calling party number, the called party number, the call type and the call date and time. As stated above, by invoking an GDI interface server external to the PSTN, the SCP 103, the SSP 54 and other PSTN resources may continue processing the call without having to await execution of the outgoing call log service.
However, in an embodiment of the invention, the subscriber may selectively activate and deactivate the call log service as desired, using the web client 86 via the Internet 107, as discussed below, or using a conventional dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) telephone via an telephone user interface (TUI) 80 system,
Alternative embodiments of the invention combine the various server and database functions described above into any practical combination of PSTN and data network systems. According to the invention, the subscriber is able to access his or her incoming and outgoing call log through a data network, such as the Internet independently of PSTN involvement.
A subscriber accesses the call log data over a packet switched data network 107 using the GUI 87 of web client 86. The subscriber accesses the web server 74 through the Internet 107 from the web client 86, using a web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator or Hotjava. The web server 74 component serves as a secure access platform, receiving hypertext transfer language protocol (HTTP) messages from the web client 86 and providing hypertext mark-up language (HTML) web pages in response to the subscriber's input. The web pages relate to the subscriber's call log service account, an example of which is depicted in
The subscriber logs in to the subscriber's personal call log service account via the web server 74. The log-in process may include authentication of the subscriber to protect the privacy of the subscriber's outgoing call information. To perform the authentication, the web server 74 contacts the subscriber account database in the master directory server (MDS) 54, which recognizes the access request. The subscriber account database includes all telephone numbers associated with a subscriber. The MDS 54 retrieves the subscriber's account information, which includes the authentication data, all telephone numbers associated with the subscriber and sends the account information to the web server 74 component for processing. The authentication data may include the subscriber's name, account number, personal identification number (PIN) and/or password.
In an alternative embodiment, the subscriber's authentication data is stored at an authentication/subscription information (ASI) server. Implementation of the separate ASI server enables the telecommunications service provider to consolidate authentication processing of a variety of telecommunications services. For example, the outgoing call log service may be offered as part of, or in addition to, a PCM service, as discussed for example in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/619,312, filed on Jul. 19, 2000. A shared ASI server reduces redundant data storage and otherwise promotes processing efficiency of all of the services involved.
Upon receiving the authentication data, the web server 74 component prompts the subscriber to enter the matching data from the web client 86, which indicates an ongoing interaction between the web server 74 component and the web client 86. In other words, the web server 74 component causes the display of various web screens at the GUI 87 of the web client 86, to which the subscriber responds. When the entered data does not match the stored authentication data, the web server 74 denies access to the requested account, possibly after allowing repeat attempts, depending on the programming choices of the service provider.
When the entered data matches the stored authentication data, the web server 74 retrieves the substantive incoming and outgoing integrated call log data that is associated with one of the telephone numbers in the subscriber's account. The web server retrieves the call log data from the message store 78 via Access Unit 74. The web server displays consecutive web screens indicating the ingoing call log service and displaying the subscriber's personalized data. The subscriber can thus interact with his or her outgoing call log service account. Alternatively, the web server 74 retrieves the authentication data and the substantive outgoing call log information in a single step to eliminate, for example, processing steps, although the outgoing call log information is not provided to the web client 86 until after successful subscriber authentication. The process enables the subscriber to access the outgoing call log information from any location with networking facilities that allow connection to the data network, whether it is the Internet, a corporate intranet or other TCP/IP network.
The flexible architecture shown in
The CL MTA 105 functionally receives a TCAP over TCP/IP message, sent from an underlying telephone system. CL MTA 105 takes the InvokeApp messages, as defined in SR-3389 GDI (referred to herein as TCAP messages and extracts the call log information from the parameters in the SR-3389 InvokeApp ( ) TCAP message. This information is then injected into a CALL LOG GATEWAY INTERWORKING DEVICE, which is the Message Transfer Assistant portion of the CL MTA (also referred to as the Call Log Gateway). CL MTA 105 generates an SMTP call log message, which is then transmitted to the UC MTA 74. The CL MTA 105 also accepts SMTP messages directly from an underlying telephone system 115 which are then transferred to the UC platform 101 UC MTA 74. All call log data is transferred to the UC through the CL-MTA thus providing a common point for charging a tariff for the Call Log service. Thus, any authorized vendor or SCP can communicate with the UC MTA 74 via the CL MTA 105 using an InvokeApp ( ) message SR-3389 GDI (TCAP message) or an SMTP message containing call log data (a call log message). The SMTP messages (call log messages) sent by a vendor to the CL MTA are represented by SMTP message 316 in
The UC platform 101 in the present example of the invention provides a call log service at the UC that receives an SMTP message from the CLMTA and deposits the message in the subscriber's call log mailbox for display and final disposition by a subscriber via a graphic user interface (GUI). The UC 101 in the present example is implemented on a Sun Solaris V440 processor available from Sun Microsystems, Inc. running DCL Software available from Data Connections Limited for email and MDS 54 implemented as a a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) database. The UC provides an underlying standard email server and mailbox system, well known in the art having novel functionality described herein over the standard email functionality. The UC also includes multi-site determination at the UC platform in order to route the SMTP message correctly to the proper UC site 101, 102, etc. when multiple UC sites are utilized.
The SCP receives either a Terminating Attempt Trigger (TAT) or Off Hook Delay Trigger (OHD) from SSP, the SCP and then makes a call through the SR-3389 Interface using an InvokeApp ( ) message, which contains the various call log data information fields passed as parameters in the function invocation. Examples of the call log data information passed in the InvokeApp( ) are described below. The destination of the InvokeApp( ) message invocation is the CL MTA which responds immediately to the SCP prior to performing translation of the InvokeApp( ) message into an SMTP message. The immediate response is done to insure that performance at the SCP is not adversely affected and to emulate asynchronous messaging between the SCP and the CLMTA.
In the current example of the present invention, a vendor communicating with the UC Platform via the CL-MTA using InvokeApp( ) implements a TCP/IP socket server implementation to accept socket connections from the SCP. The SCP will act as the client in this instance. The vendor will accept SR-3389 messages using GR-246-CORE ANSI TCAP encoding.
There are only a few of the TCAP messages used in the current exemplary implementation of the invention. Two TCAP messages used in the current example are the InvokeApp( ) and InvokeAppResp( ) messages. In the current example of the invention the InvokeApp( ) SR-3389 Table D-1 Request Data Message is used to carry call log information as parameters to this function. Also the InvokeApp( ) SR-3389 Table D-3 Response Message is used. In addition to these two messages, in the present example of the invention, the vendor is capable of answering a basic “keep alive” request per SR-3389 Section 2.2.2.
Turning now to
In the present example of the invention, a Sun Solaris V440 running DCL software implements the functionality of the Call Log Gateway. Other processors including a Personal Computer running a Linux operating system are suitable for implementing the Call Log Gateway.
The UC MTA 74 accepts the SMTP message 307 and issues an LDAP request at step 311 to MDS 54. The MDS 54 responds with an LDAP response at step 313 to the UC MTA 74. The UC MTA then sends the call log data in a mail message at step 315 and thereby places the call log message and call log data into the correct subscriber mailbox in message store 78. The call log data is later available as an integrated call log display or telephone announcement to a subscriber. The integrated call log is based on the MDS subscriber account database and all telephone numbers associated with the subscriber account. SMTP messages are used in the current example, however, other known asynchronous message protocols are acceptable for communication between the underlying Call Log Gateway 105 and the UC MTA 74 and between underlying telephone systems and the Call Log Gateway. Vendors can communicate with the Call Log Gateway via SR-3389 InvokeApp( ) messages (TCAP Messages), SMTP messages or other known asynchronous message protocols. ERT routes the SMTP message from the Call Log Gateway between multiple UC sites 101, 102 for processing by an appropriate UC MTA 74. The UC MTA 74 returns an OK message 309 to the CL MTA after receipt of the call log message 307.
If the CNAME is missing from the call log message email sent from the CL MTA, the UC MTA sends an LDAP request or a CNAME Missing message at step 311 to the MDS requesting that the MDS lookup the originating number caller name. The MDS returns a message at step 313 with the CNAME or an indication that the CNAME is UNKNOWN. The UC MTA then sends a Call Log Info Available message at step 315 containing the call log data to the UC Mail subscriber's box in message store 78 where the call log data is available to the subscriber for display and dispensation as an integrated call log via TUI application 80 or web client 86. Thus, there is no intermediate repository of the call log data sent from the telephone system as the data goes directly into the subscriber's mail box without being stored in a database.
Turning now to
Turning now to
As discussed above, the present example of the invention maps the protocol inter-exchange between TCAP SR 3389-GDI InvokeApp( ) message and an SMTP call log message or another asynchronous message protocol call log message. The present example of the invention uses the InvokeApp( ) function of the SR-3389 GDI specification mapped to SMTP fields in a call log message to communicate call log data to a CL MTA and subsequently the UC Platform. This mapping enables subscriber call log information for both incoming and outgoing calls from multiple telephone systems for multiple telephone numbers associated with a subscriber to be displayed at a Web Client 86 GUI 87 to a subscriber via HTTP or another protocol present in the UC platform.
Inbound and outbound call logs for multiple wireless and wireline telephone systems are associated with a particular UC. At a high level, the call log data provided in the call logs is the calling number, called number, and date/time the call was placed. If a calling number or called number in the call log data match one of a subscriber's telephone numbers in the subscriber's LDAP call log information in the MDS, the call log message is placed in the subscriber's integrated call log. On inbound calls, the LDAP CNAM information is provided. Turning now to
For each outbound call 613 a “Sender Address” 604 comprising the number originating the call, call “Date/Time” 625, size 627 and call “Subject” 629 comprising the number originating the call and the number called is displayed. For each inbound call a “Sender Address” 604 comprising the person's name 601 or underlying telephone system company name 606 originating the call, call “Date/Time” 625, size 627 and call “Subject” 629 comprising the number originating the call and the number called is displayed.
The directory database MDS may be a line information database (LIDB), which is maintained independently of the PSTN and updated appropriately by the service provider to assure provision of current information. The invention may include any comparable publicly or privately maintained database, including a Lucent LDAP database and server.
When accessing call information using the Internet, a subscriber accesses the web server 55 using the GUI 87 at web client 86, which may be, for example an IBM Pentium based personal computer running Microsoft Windows operating system, available from Microsoft Corporation, Inc. In an embodiment, the web client software 85 incorporates a web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator or Hot Java, available from Sun Microsystems, Inc. An embodiment of the invention with respect to the web server 55 can be implemented on a Linux or Microsoft Windows operating system and Apache web server software, available from the Apache Software Foundation, or Jigsaw web server software, available from World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Alternatively a TUI 80 is used to announce the call log and call log information to a user.
Turning now to
The InvokeApp ( ) Element Identifier Parameter number 4607 is mapped to the email “Reply-to” field and has a value of <call-log-postmaster> which is chosen by an operations staff of a subscribing vendor. The InvokeApp ( ) Element Identifier Parameter number 5609 is mapped to the “Reply-to” email field and has a value of “@MMTA-FQDN” which is a UC MTA Call Log Fully Qualified Domain Name. InvokeApp Element Identifier Parameter number 6611 is mapped to the email “To” field and has a value of <called-telephone-number> which is the dialed number. InvokeApp Element Identifier Parameter number 7613 is mapped to the “To” field in the email and has a value of @MMTA-FQDN which is a Call Log Fully Qualified Domain Name. InvokeApp Element Identifier Parameter number 8615 is mapped to the “email message body” field in the email and has a value of mm/dd/yyyy HH:MM:SS (AM/PM) which is the date and time of the incoming call.
Turning now to
In the present example of the invention, separate vendors and/or telephone companies are enabled to transmit individual call log records to the UC system using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) over TCP/IP. Further, these “email” messages containing call log information are transmitted over the Internet in an unencrypted manner. If end-to-end encryption is desired, an encrypted VPN that tunnels through the public Internet is provided. One of the integration points between the voice network provider call log systems and the UC MTA on the UC platform is the format and content of the email messages transmitting the call log data.
All participants in the UC call logging system of the present example of the invention utilize a common message format such as that described in the current example of the invention. In addition to the body of the email message, the message format includes Internet mail message header information as well. A description of the Internet mail message header formats can be found at http://cr.yp.to/immhf.html which includes information regarding the IETF SMTP protocol descriptions as well as industry conventions. Both the protocol definitions and the industry definitions are germane to the operation of the present example of the invention.
For inbound call log messages, the message header fields 1001, 1003, 1005 and 1007 and the associated data values for information populating the associated fields in the message header are shown in
For outbound call log messages, the message header fields and the associated data values expected to populate the associated fields 1401, 1403, 1405 and 1407 are shown in
Turning now to
A subscriber's exemplary interaction with call log telephone numbers and diabled/enabled status for each call log telephone number as stored in the MDS is depicted in the call flow diagram of
As shown in
The Web Server uses the information stored in the MDS to render GUI screens to the end-user at the web client. The user provides authentication information to access their account. The Web Server performs the authentication at step 104 and 106. The Web Server queries the subscriber for an account number and associated password, which confirms the user's identity. The Web Server then retrieves the account number and associated password information the MDS to confirm that the subscriber is an authorized user. After successful authentication, the Web Server retrieves the call log and call log configuration information from the Message Store 75 via the Access Unit 77 by sending an IMAP request to Access Unit 77 at step 108. The Access Unit sends a proprietary request to Message Store 78 at step 109. Message store sends a proprietary response to the Access Unit at step 110. The proprietary response includes the integrated call log which is sent in an IMAP response at step 111 to the web server. The web server sends the call log to the web client as an HTML message at step 113.
The subscriber can access the integrated call log and call log configuration information using a DTMF telephone. The subscriber calls an access number for their area from any DTMF telephone, which accesses the TUI application 80. The interaction between the user and the UC platform components is the same as with the web client except that call log information and the call log are announced over the DTMF telephone via the Text To Speech (TTS) 79 application and commands are entered via the DTMF telephone keypad.
Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein.
It should also be noted that the software implementations of the present invention as described herein are optionally stored on a tangible storage medium, such as: a magnetic medium such as a disk or tape; a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid state medium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories. A digital file attachment to email or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the invention is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.
Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the invention is not limited to such standards and protocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, HTML), and public telephone networks (ISDN, ATM, XDSL) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents.