Author: claimsbot

1. An Ethernet device having multiple lanes, the Ethernet device comprising:
a lane state setting unit to set each lane to either an active or inactive state; and
a block distribution unit to distribute data blocks to the respective lanes, and to allocate a dummy block to a lane, based on the lane being set to inactive.
2. The Ethernet device of claim 1, wherein the lane state setting unit transmits a lane status message containing lane state information.
3. The Ethernet device of claim 2, wherein the lane status message is defined based on a link fault message specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 standards.
4. The Ethernet device of claim 1, wherein the lane state setting unit is formed in a reconciliation sub-layer (RS) and the block distribution unit is formed in a physical coding sub-layer (PCS).
5. The Ethernet device of claim 1, wherein the distribution unit distributes the data blocks to the respective lanes based on a round robin scheme.
6. The Ethernet device of claim 5, wherein before the distribution unit distributes the data blocks, checking is performed to determine whether each lane to be allocated with a data block is set as inactive and allocating the dummy block to each lane that is set to inactive.
7. An Ethernet device having multiple lanes, the Ethernet device comprising:
a lane state determination unit to detect a lane which is set to an inactive state and to which a dummy block is allocated; and
a block elimination unit to eliminate the dummy block.
8. The Ethernet device of claim 7, wherein the lane state determination unit receives a lane status message containing lane state information and determines a state of the lane based on the received lane status message.
9. The Ethernet device of claim 8, wherein the lane status message is defined based on a link fault message specified by IEEE 802.3 standards.
10. The Ethernet device of claim 8, wherein the determination unit detects the inactive lane based on a lane identifier included in the lane status message.
11. The Ethernet device of claim 8, wherein the determination unit detects the inactive lane based on a data format of the dummy block included in the lane status message.
12. The Ethernet device of claim 7, wherein the lane state determination unit is formed in a reconciliation sub-layer (RS) and the block elimination unit is formed in a physical coding sub-layer (PCS).
13. The Ethernet device of claim 7, wherein the block elimination unit transmits all data blocks, not including the dummy block, which is removed to a decoding unit and the decoding unit decodes the data blocks and transmits the decoded data to a reconciliation sub-layer (RS).
14. A method of operating multiple lanes of Ethernet device, the method comprising:
generating a lane status message containing lane state information and transmitting the generated lane status message;
setting at least one or more lanes to an inactive state according to the generated lane status message; and
distributing data blocks to the respective lanes and allocating a dummy block to each of the lanes set to inactive.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the lane status message is processed in a reconciliation sub-layer (RS) of the Ethernet device.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lane status message is defined based on a link fault message specified by IEEE 802.3 standards.
17. A method of operating multiple lanes of an Ethernet device, the method comprising:
receiving a lane status message containing lane state information;
detecting a lane set to an inactive state, to which a dummy block is allocated, based on the received lane status message; and
eliminating the dummy block.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lane status message is processed in a reconciliation sub-layer (RS) of the Ethernet device.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the lane status message is defined based on a link fault message specified by IEEE 802.3 standards.

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 local coil unit for a magnetic resonance apparatus, comprising:
a coil adapted to receive magnetic resonance signals from an examination subject;
a deformable section, carrying at least a portion of said coil, adapted for placement on the examination subject; and
a bending mechanism connected to said deformable section that is activatable to deform said deformable section to adapt said deformable section to a contour of the examination subject.
2. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bending mechanism deforms said deformable section to cause said deformable section to naturally nestle against said contour.
3. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said deformable section has a substantially non-deformed rest shape, and wherein said deformable section is returnable, after deformation of said deformable section, to said rest shape.
4. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 comprising a non-deformable section connected to said deformable section.
5. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 4 wherein said bending mechanism is attached to both of said non-deformable section and said deformable section.
6. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bending mechanism comprises at least one adjustment element that curves said deformable section.
7. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 6 wherein said adjustment element is a device for exerting a pulling force on said deformable section.
8. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pulling device exerts said pulling force in a direction along said contour.
9. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bending mechanism comprises at least one bending element.
10. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said bending element is mechanically coupled with said deformable section.
11. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said deformable section has a substantially non-deformed rest shape, and wherein said bending element returns said deformable section to said rest shape after deformation of said deformable section.
12. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said bending element comprises at least one plastic strip.
13. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 12 wherein said bending mechanism comprises a pulling device for applying a pulling force in a pull direction to said plastic strip, and wherein said plastic strip is aligned along said pull direction.
14. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 12 wherein said bending mechanism comprises a pulling device, manually operable by a hand wheel, to apply a pulling force to said plastic strip, said pulling device comprising a gear wheel, co-rotatable with said hand wheel, having a plurality of gear teeth, and wherein said plastic strip has a plurality of teeth engaging said gear teeth.
15. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plastic strip is a first plastic strip, and comprising at least one second plastic strip disposed between said teeth and an end of said first plastic strip, and wherein said local coil unit comprises a non-deformable section, with said second plastic strip being fastened to said non-deformable section.
16. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 15 wherein said deformable section comprises a guide for accepting said first and second plastic strips.
17. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 16 wherein said guide comprises a pocket in said deformable section.
18. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bending mechanism comprises a plurality of bending elements.
19. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said plurality of bending elements are mechanically coupled to said deformable section.
20. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 19 wherein said bending mechanism comprises an adjustment element that curves all of said bending elements to deform said deformable section.
21. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 comprising a non-deformable section connected to said deformable section, and at least one further deformable section also connected to said non-deformable section.
22. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 21 wherein said non-deformable section has opposite sides, and wherein said deformable section and said further deformable section are respectively connected to said opposite sides of said non-deformable section.
23. A local coil unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of said coil is integrated in said deformable section.

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory;
graphics logic operative to render a set of one or more data frames for storage in the memory using a received set of data of a digital medium, and output one or more control signals at a first interval; and
a display engine operative to receive the one or more control signals from the graphics logic, retrieve the set of one or more data frames from the memory, and send the one or more data frames to a display device for visual presentation, the one or more data frames to be sent periodically in succession at a second interval corresponding to a native frame rate of the digital medium.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, the graphics logic operative to send a signal to one or more devices to enter a low power mode between sending a first control signal to the display engine to retrieve a first set of one or more data frames and sending a next control signal to the display engine to retrieve a next set of one or more data frames, the low power mode to span a period of time equal to the first interval.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, the second interval being less than or equal to the first interval.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, the one or more devices including a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and voltage regulator.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, the data frames comprising compressed data.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, the second interval comprising 124 second.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, the graphics logic operative to:
look ahead in a command queue to process a multiplicity of frames to be forwarded for transmission by the display engine;
render the multiplicity frames as a multiplicity of data frames in an instance; and
store the multiplicity of data frames to system memory.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, the set of control signals comprising a frame buffer flip notification in which designation of the first memory is switched from a back buffer to a front buffer to be read by the display engine.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, the display engine operative to enter a low power mode between transmission of a current data frame and transmission of a next data frame.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a digital display operative to present the data frames as a video presentation, the digital display having a refresh rate corresponding to a third interval that is less than the second interval or less than the first interval.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, each data frame of the one or more data frames to be sent in a single instance.
12. A computer implemented method, comprising:
rendering a set of one or more data frames for storage in a first memory using a received set of data of a digital medium;
outputting one or more control signals at a first interval;
retrieving the set of one or more data frames from the first memory; and
sending the one or more data frames sent periodically in succession at a second interval corresponding to a native frame rate of the digital medium.
13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, comprising sending a signal to one or more devices to enter a low power mode during a period between sending a first control signal to the display engine to retrieve a first set of one or more data frames and sending a next control signal to the display engine to retrieve a next set of one or more data frames, the low power mode to span a period of time equal to the first interval.
14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, comprising sending a signal to one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and voltage regulator to enter a low power mode during the period.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 12, the second period being 124 second.
16. The computer implemented method of claim 12, comprising:
rendering a multiplicity of data frames comprising the first set of data frames at a first instance; and
rendering a second multiplicity of data frames comprising the next set of data frames at a second instance, the first and second instance being separated in time by the first interval.
17. The computer implemented method of claim 12, comprising setting a timer for the low power mode to span a third interval equal to at least two times the second interval.
18. The computer implemented method of claim 12, comprising sending each data frame of the one or more data frames at a single instance, the second interval being less than or equal to the first interval.
19. At least one computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:
render a set of one or more data frames for storage in a first memory using a received set of data of a digital medium;
output one or more control signals at a first interval;
retrieve the set of one or more data frames from the first memory; and
send the one or more data frames to be sent periodically in succession at a second interval corresponding to a native frame rate of the digital medium.
20. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to send a signal to one or more devices to enter a low power mode between sending a first control signal to the display engine to retrieve a first set of one or more data frames and sending a next control signal to the display engine to retrieve a next set of one or more data frames, the low power mode to span a period of time equal to the first interval.
21. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to set the first interval equal to at least two times the second interval.
22. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to send the signal to one or more of: a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and voltage regulator.
23. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to set the second interval to equal 124 second.
24. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to:
look ahead in a command queue to process a multiplicity of frames to be forwarded for transmission by the display engine;
render the multiplicity frames as a multiplicity of data frames in an instance; and
store the multiplicity of data frames to system memory.
25. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to enter a low power mode between transmission of a current data frame and transmission of a next data frame.
26. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, comprising instructions that when executed cause the system to send each data frame of the one or more data frames in a single instance to a display device for visual presentation.
27. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory;
graphics logic operative to:
render a set of one or more data frames for storage in a memory using a received set of data of a digital medium; and
output one or more control signals at a first interval, the control signals operative to direct transmission of the one or more data frames periodically in succession at a second interval corresponding to a native frame rate of the digital medium.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, the graphics logic operative to send a signal to one or more devices to enter a low power mode between sending a first control signal to the display engine to retrieve a first set of one or more data frames and sending a next control signal to the display engine to retrieve a next set of one or more data frames, the low power mode to span a period of time equal to the first interval.
29. The apparatus of claim 27, the second interval being less than or equal to the first interval.
30. The apparatus of claim 27, the graphics logic operative to:
look ahead in a command queue to process a multiplicity of frames to be forwarded for transmission by the display engine;
render the multiplicity frames as a multiplicity of data frames in an instance; and
store the multiplicity of data frames to the memory.

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 method of providing a rebate from a merchant for a purchase of a good or service by a consumer comprising the steps of:
designating a beneficiary of the consumer to receive said rebate amount associated with said purchase;
assigning a value and one or more restrictions to said rebate amount; and
applying said rebate to a subsequent purchase of goods or services by said beneficiary so long as said restrictions are met.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate amount is received from one or more of the following group: indirect merchants, distributors, manufacturers, agencies, loyalty programs and a third party holding company.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said beneficiary is more than one beneficiary.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein said rebate amount is allocated in equal amounts among the two or more beneficiaries.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein said rebate amount is allocated in unequal amounts among the two or more beneficiaries.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said restrictions must be met by said beneficiary.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said restrictions must be met by said consumer.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said restrictions must be met by said beneficiary and said consumer.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said goods or services are the same type of goods or services as were purchased by said consumer.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate amount is more than one rebate amount.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said purchase is more than one purchase.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said beneficiary can be re-designated.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said consumer is a member of an incentive program or plan.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said good is an automobile.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said good is selected from the following group: a vehicle other than an automobile, a bicycle, a grocery store product, a credit limit, and an article of furniture.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate amount is held in a rebate account selected from at least one of the following group: a ledger account, a checking account, an annuity, a debt security, an equity security, a certificate of deposit, a savings account, and an insurance product.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate amount is a percentage of the gross sale.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate amount is a fixed amount.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein said merchant is more than one merchant.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein said rebate account is an interest bearing account.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the rebate is provided to the beneficiary customer in the form of one of the following group: a rebate card, a certificate, a voucher, a letter, a merchant loyalty card, and a smart card.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using data derived from said rebate account redemption activity to make adjustments to current and future rebate amount offers or restrictions.
23. A computer network-based purchase incentive system for one or more merchants, comprising:
a memory, the memory adapted to store a program code;
a processor in communication with the memory, the program code capable of programming the processor to perform a method for providing a rebate from a merchant for a purchase of a good or service by a consumer, the method comprising the steps of:
designating a beneficiary of the consumer to receive said rebate amount associated with said purchase;
assigning a value and one or more restrictions to said rebate amount; and
applying said rebate to a subsequent purchase by said beneficiary so long as said restrictions are met.
24. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism, comprising a program module, the program module including instructions for providing a rebate from a merchant for a purchase of a good or service by a consumer including:
designating a beneficiary for a rebate amount associated with a purchase;
assigning a rebate amount with one or more restrictions from a merchant based on said purchase made by a consumer;
and applying said rebate amount to a subsequent purchase by said beneficiary so long as said restrictions are met.