1-48. (canceled)
49. A burner suppliable with a mixture of air and fuel, comprising a burner body provided with a diffuser in the surface of which openings are made for the exit of said mixture delivered into the body of the burner, a distributing device inserted inside said body of the burner, said distributing device comprising a distributing element centered inside said burner body, wherein said distributing device further comprises a regulating element interposed between said distributing element and said diffuser, said regulating element being provided with further openings for the transit of said mixture and being movable inside said body of the burner.
50. The burner according to claim 49, wherein said body of the burner has a substantially cylindrical shape and said regulating element has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided, on its side surface, with said further openings.
51. The burner according to claim 49 wherein said regulating element is movable in an axial direction with respect to said body of the burner.
52. The burner according to claim 49, wherein said regulating element is angularly movable with respect to said body of the burner.
53. The burner according to claim 49, wherein said regulating element is associated with a moving device.
54. The burner according to claim 51, wherein said regulating element is connected by means of a plurality of arms to a shaft of a linear actuator.
55. The burner according to claim 52, wherein said regulating element is connected by means of a plurality of arms to a shaft of a rotating actuator.
56. The burner according to claim 54, wherein said linear actuator is driven by a stepping motor.
57. The burner according to claim 55, wherein said rotating actuator is driven by a stepping motor.
58. The burner, according claim 50, wherein said further openings have the shape of slits with a greater side placed in a direction substantially perpendicular to generatrices of said substantially cylindrical regulating element.
59. The burner, according to claim 50, wherein said further openings have the shape of slits with a greater side placed in a direction substantially parallel to generatrices of said substantially cylindrical regulating element.
60. The burner according to claim 50, wherein said substantially cylindrical regulating element is provided with seal elements.
61. The burner according to claim 60, wherein said seal elements comprises seal rings arranged on the side surface of said regulating element.
62. The burner according to claim 50, wherein said regulating element is provided with an anti-stopping element.
63. The burner according to claim 62, wherein said anti-stopping element comprises an opening that extends along a generatrix of said regulating element.
64. The burner according to claim 62, wherein said anti-stopping element comprises a recess of the side surface of said regulating element, said recess extending along a generatrix of said side surface.
65. The burner according to claim 62, wherein said anti-stopping element comprises a joint, which extends along a generatrix of said regulating element and is provided with a recess.
66. The burner according to claim 49, wherein said distributing element is coupled with the body of the burner by means of mechanical interference fit.
67. The burner according to claim 66, wherein the body of the burner comprises an upper projection and a lower projection that protrude inside the body and respectively constitute an upper base and a lower base of the body, said lower projection is provided with a central opening for the passage of a Venturi tube.
68. The burner according to claim 67, wherein said distributing element is coupled mechanically with interference with one of said two lower or upper projections, the other of said two projections acting as a centering element for said distributing element.
69. A burner suppliable with a mixture of air and fuel, comprising a burner body in the surface of which openings are made for the exit of said mixture delivered into said body, wherein said body is subdivided into a plurality of sectors, each one of which is suppliable independently of the other sectors.
70. The burner according to claim 69, wherein the sectors of said body are supplied independently of one another with said mixture of air and fuel, by respective supply devices.
71. The burner according to claim 69, wherein said body has a substantially cylindrical shape and said sectors each have substantially the shape of a cylindrical sector.
72. The burner according to claim 71, wherein said sectors all have substantially the same angular width.
73. The burner according to claim 69, wherein said body comprises a plurality of sections, each one of which corresponds to a respective sector.
74. The burner according to claim 73, wherein each of said sections is provided with openings for the transit of said mixture of air and fuel.
75. The burner according to claim 69, further comprising a distributing element arranged within said body.
76. The burner according to claim 75, wherein said distributing element has a substantially cylindrical shape and is substantially concentric to said body.
77. The burner according to claim 75, wherein said distributing element comprises a plurality of sections, each one of which corresponds to a respective sector of said body.
78. The burner according to claim 77, wherein each of said sections is provided with openings for the transit of said mixture of air and fuel.
79. The burner according to claim 77, wherein said sections of the body and said sections of the distributing element are fixed to a series of radial baffles, that lead away from a central hollow cylindrical support.
80. The burner according to claim 79, wherein said radial baffles are distributed at a substantially constant angular pitch.
81. The burner according to claim 79, wherein each of said radial baffles is provided at its external end with a groove extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said hollow cylindrical support.
82. The burner according to claim 81, wherein each of said sections of said body is provided with edges folded towards the inside of the body, said edges being insertable into said grooves.
83. The burner according to claim 79, wherein each radial baffle is provided on both sides, at a certain distance from its external end, with a pair of fins protruding in a substantially perpendicular direction from the baffle and defining between them a corresponding groove.
84. The burner according to claim 83, wherein said fins and said grooves extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical support.
85. The burner according to claim 83, wherein said grooves are suitable for receiving an end of a respective section of the distributing element.
86. The burner according to claim 79, wherein each of said sectors is defined by a pair of adjacent radial baffles, by a respective section of the body fixed to said pair of radial baffles and by a respective section of the distributing element also fixed to said pair of radial baffles.
87. The burner according to claim 79, wherein said hollow cylindrical support is provided with groups of openings for the transit of said mixture of air and fuel, each group of openings corresponding to one of said sectors of the body.
88. The burner according to claim 87, wherein said openings have the shape of slits a greater side of which extends in a direction parallel to generatrices of the cylindrical support.
89. The burner according to claim 87, wherein inside said cylindrical support there is inserted a regulating element through which said mixture of air and fuel is delivered into said body, said regulating element being provided with openings for the transit of said mixture.
90. The burner according to claim 89, wherein said regulating element comprises a hollow cylindrical body, in the surface of which said openings are made, said hollow cylindrical body being able to rotate in relation to said hollow cylindrical support.
91. The burner according to claim 90, wherein said openings have the shape of slits, a greater side of which extends in a direction substantially parallel to generatrices of the regulating element.
92. The burner according to claim 90, wherein said openings are arranged in such a way that, depending on the angular position of the regulating element in relation to the hollow cylindrical support, they come to coincide with one or more groups of openings of the cylindrical support.
93. The burner according to claim 89, wherein the angular position of said regulating element in relation to said hollow cylindrical support determines the number of sections of the body that are supplied with said mixture of air and fuel.
94. The burner according to claim 89, wherein the sections of said body are supplied independently of one another with said mixture of air and fuel, by respective supply devices.
95. The burner according to claim 94, wherein said mixture of air and fuel is delivered into each of said sections in a space defined between said hollow cylindrical support, a pair of radial baffles, a respective section of the distributing element and a respective section of the body.
96. A burner suppliable with a mixture of air and fuel, comprising a burner body provided with a diffuser in the surface of which openings are made for the exit of said mixture delivered into the body of the burner, a distributing element inserted inside said body of the burner, said distributing element being provided with further openings for the transit of said mixture, wherein said distributing element is coupled with the body of the burner by means of a mechanical interference fit.
97. The burner according to claim 96, wherein said body comprises an upper projection and a lower projection that protrude inside the body and respectively constitute an upper base and a lower base of the body, said lower projection is provided with a central opening for the passage of a Venturi tube.
98. The burner according to claim 97, wherein said distributing element is mechanically coupled by means of an interference fit with one of said two lower or upper projections, the other of said two projections acting as an aligning element for said distributing element.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer-implemented method for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
at a processor, establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
at the processor, establishing a first conversion rate between non-monetary credits and incoming communications;
at the processor, establishing a second conversion rate between non-monetary credits and outgoing communications;
receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device;
at the processor, responsive to receiving the electronic communication, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate;
at an input device of the electronic communication device, receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network; and
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
determining whether the non-monetary credit balance is at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the second conversion rate.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, declining the requested electronic transmission.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, displaying output, at an output device of the electronic communication device, indicating that the requested electronic transmission has been declined.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance comprises establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance associated with a user;
receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device comprises receiving an electronic communication addressed to the user;
increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate comprises increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance associated with the user; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the second conversion rate comprises decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance associated with the user.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance comprises establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance associated with the electronic communication device;
receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device comprises receiving an electronic communication addressed to the electronic communication device;
increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate comprises increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance associated with the electronic communication device; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the second conversion rate comprises decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance associated with the electronic communication device.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
establishing a second conversion rate comprises establishing a conversion rate between non-monetary credits and free outgoing communications; and
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication for free.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication at a charged rate, via the electronic communications network.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
establishing a second conversion rate comprises establishing a conversion rate between non-monetary credits and discounted outgoing communications; and
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication at a discounted monetary rate.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication at a monetary rate higher than the discounted monetary rate, via the electronic communications network.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate comprises:
determining whether the received electronic communication qualifies to increase the value of the non-monetary credit balance; and
responsive to the received electronic communication qualifying to increase the value of the non-monetary credit balance, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the received electronic communication qualifies to increase the value of the non-monetary credit balance comprises determining whether the received electronic communication was transmitted via a paid communication channel.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:
receiving an electronic communication comprises receiving a voice call;
receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication comprises receiving input from a user to initiate a voice call; and
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises causing the communication device to initiate a voice call.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns a fixed quantity of at least one non-monetary credit, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs a fixed quantity of at least one non-monetary credit.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns one non-monetary credit, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs one non-monetary credit.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a length of the incoming communication, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a length of the outgoing communication.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a duration of the incoming communication, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a duration of the outgoing communication.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a size of the incoming communication, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs a quantity of non-monetary credits based on a size of the outgoing communication.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate specifies that each incoming communication earns a quantity of non-monetary credits based on bandwidth consumed by the incoming communication, and the second conversion rate specifies that each outgoing communication costs a quantity of non-monetary credits based bandwidth consumed by the outgoing communication.
19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate equals the second conversion rate.
20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first conversion rate does not equal the second conversion rate.
21. A computer-implemented method for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
at a processor, establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device;
at the processor, responsive to receiving the electronic communication, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance;
at an input device of the electronic communication device, receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network; and
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
determining whether the non-monetary credit balance is non-zero; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being non-zero:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance.
22. A computer-implemented method for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
at a processor, establishing a plurality of values, each value being representative of a non-monetary credit balance corresponding to a different type of communications;
receiving a communication at an electronic communication device, the communication having a type;
at the processor, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance corresponding to the type of the received communication;
at an input device of the electronic communication device, receiving input from a user requesting initiation of a communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network, the requested message being of a type; and
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
determining whether the values of the monetary credit balances are at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication; and
responsive to the values of the monetary credit balances being at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
decreasing at least one value of at least one non-monetary credit balance.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
at the processor, responsive to a signal indicating an exchange between at least a portion of one non-monetary credit balance and at least a portion of another non-monetary credit balance:
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance corresponding to a first type; and
increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance corresponding to a second type, wherein the amount of the increase is determined based on the amount of the decrease further based on a predetermined exchange rate between unit measures of the communication types associated with the first and second non-monetary credit balances.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein:
determining whether the values of the monetary credit balances are at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises determining whether the non-monetary credit balance corresponding to the type of the requested communication is at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication; and
decreasing at least one value of at least one non-monetary credit balance comprises decreasing the non-monetary credit balance corresponding to the type of the requested communication.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
determining whether the values of the monetary credit balances are at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises determining whether at least one of the monetary credit balances has a value at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication, based on a predetermined exchange rate between non-monetary credit balances; and
decreasing at least one value of at least one non-monetary credit balance comprises decreasing a non-monetary credit balance corresponding to a type other than type of the requested communication, based on the predetermined exchange rate between non-monetary credit balances.
26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
determining whether the values of the monetary credit balances are at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises determining whether the aggregate of the monetary credit balances corresponds to a value at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication, based on a predetermined exchange rate between non-monetary credit balances; and
decreasing at least one value of at least one non-monetary credit balance comprises decreasing a plurality of non-monetary credit balances, based at least in part on the predetermined exchange rate between non-monetary credit balances.
27. A computer-implemented method for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
at a processor, establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
displaying the non-monetary credit balance on a display device of the electronic communication device;
receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device;
responsive to receiving the electronic communication, causing the display device to increase the displayed value of the non-monetary credit balance;
at an input device of the electronic communication device, receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network; and
at the processor, responsive to receiving the input from the user:
determining whether the non-monetary credit balance is non-zero; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being non-zero:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
causing the display device to decrease the displayed value of the non-monetary credit balance.
28. A non-transitory computer program product for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and
computer program code, encoded on the medium, configured to cause at least one processor to perform the steps of:
establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
establishing a first conversion rate between non-monetary credits and incoming communications;
establishing a second conversion rate between non-monetary credits and outgoing communications;
responsive to receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate;
responsive to receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network:
determining whether the non-monetary credit balance is at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the second conversion rate.
29. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer program code is further configured to cause at least one processor to, responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, decline the requested electronic transmission.
30. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 28, wherein:
receiving an electronic communication comprises receiving a voice call;
the received input comprise input to initiate a voice call; and
the computer program product configured to cause at least one processor to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises computer program product configured to cause at least one processor to initiate a voice call.
31. A non-transitory computer program product for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and
computer program code, encoded on the medium, configured to cause at least one processor to perform the steps of:
establishing a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
responsive to receiving an electronic communication at an electronic communication device, increasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance;
responsive to receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network:
determining whether the non-monetary credit balance is non-zero; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being non-zero:
causing the communication device to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
decreasing the value of the non-monetary credit balance.
32. A system for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
a processor, configured to:
establish a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance;
establish a first conversion rate between non-monetary credits and incoming communications; and
establish a second conversion rate between non-monetary credits and outgoing communications;
a storage device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to store the value representative of the non-monetary credit balance;
a communications component of an electronic communications device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to transmit and receive electronic communications;
an input device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network;
wherein:
responsive to the communications component receiving an electronic communication, the processor is configured to increase the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the first conversion rate;
responsive to the input device receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network:
the processor is configured to determine whether the non-monetary credit balance is at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being at least sufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, processor is configured to:
cause the communications component to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
cause the storage device to decrease the value of the non-monetary credit balance according to the second conversion rate.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to, responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being insufficient to initiate the requested electronic communication according to the second conversion rate, decline the requested electronic transmission.
34. The system of claim 32, wherein:
the communications component is configured to receive and send voice calls;
the received input comprise input to initiate a voice call; and
causing the communications component to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication comprises causing the communications component to initiate a voice call.
35. A system for enforcing limits on electronic communications, comprising:
a processor, configured to establish a value representative of a non-monetary credit balance:
a storage device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to store the value representative of the non-monetary credit balance;
a communications component of an electronic communications device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to transmit and receive electronic communications;
an input device, communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to receive input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network
wherein:
responsive to the communications component receiving an electronic communication, the processor is configured to increase the value of the non-monetary credit balance;
responsive to the input device receiving input from a user requesting initiation of an electronic communication to a designated recipient via an electronic communication network:
the processor is configured to determine whether the non-monetary credit balance is non-zero; and
responsive to the non-monetary credit balance being non-zero, the processor is configured to:
cause the communications component to transmit a signal to initiate the requested electronic communication via the electronic communications network; and
cause the storage device to decrease the value of the non-monetary credit balance.