Author: claimsbot

1. A computer-implemented method for determining a compact code for a geographic location, the method comprising:
accessing, by one or more computing devices, a position coordinate for a geographic location, the position coordinate comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate;
converting, by the one or more computing devices, the latitude coordinate to a first character string using a base conversion, the first character string having fewer characters than the latitude coordinate;
converting, by the one or more computing devices, the longitude coordinate to a second character string using the base conversion, the second character string having fewer characters than the longitude coordinate; and
interleaving, by the one or more computing devices, the first character string and the second character string to generate a compact code for the geographic location such that characters from the first character string alternate with characters from the second character string in the compact code;
wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a user input specifying the compact code; and progressively zooming, by the one or more computing devices, geographic imagery associated with the compact code as one or more characters of the compact code are input into the geographic information system.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the base conversion is a base 20 conversion.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the base conversion encodes the latitude coordinate into the first character string and the longitude coordinate into the second character string using a predefined character set.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predefined character set is a disambiguated character set.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the disambiguated character set does not include vowel characters.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the disambiguated character set includes the characters \u201c2\u201d, \u201c3\u201d, \u201c5\u201d, \u201c6\u201d, \u201c7\u201d, \u201c8\u201d, \u201c9\u201d, \u201cB\u201d, \u201cD\u201d, \u201cF\u201d, \u201cG\u201d, \u201cH\u201d, \u201cJ\u201d, \u201cM\u201d, \u201cP\u201d, \u201cQ\u201d, \u201cW\u201d, \u201cX\u201d, \u201cY\u201d, \u201cZ\u201d.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein interleaving, by the one or more computing devices, the first character string and the second character string to generate a compact code for the geographic location comprises alternating characters from the first character string and the second character string in the compact code.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the compact code has a first character associated with the first character string generated from the latitude coordinate.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises converting, by the one or more computing devices, the latitude coordinate to a positive latitude range and converting, by the one or more computing devices, the longitude coordinate to a positive longitude range.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, Wherein the method comprises associating, by the one or more computing devices, the compact code with a point of interest in a geographic information system.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises displaying the compact code in conjunction with geographic imagery depicting the geographic location.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises geolocating information in a geographic information system using the compact code.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises providing travel directions to the geographic location using the compact code.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein providing travel directions to the geographic location using the compact code comprises:
decoding the compact code into a latitude range and a longitude range; and
providing travel directions to the geographic location using the latitude range and the longitude range.
15. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions that when executed by one or more processors are configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
accessing a position coordinate for a geographic location, the position coordinate comprising a latitude coordinate and a longitude coordinate;
converting the latitude coordinate to a first character string using a base conversion, the first character string having fewer characters than the latitude coordinate;
converting the longitude coordinate to a second character string using the base conversion, the second character string having fewer characters than the longitude coordinate; and
interleaving the first character string and the second character string to generate a compact code for the geographic location such that characters from the first character string alternate with characters from the second character string in the compact code;
wherein the operations further comprise receiving a user input specifying the compact code; and progressively zooming geographic imagery associated with the compact code as one or more characters of the compact code are input into the geographic information system.
16. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise decoding the compact code into a latitude range and a longitude range.
17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
presenting, by one or more computing devices, a user interface for displaying geographic imagery;
receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a user input specifying a compact code associated with a geographic area; and
progressively zooming geographic imagery associated with the compact code as one or more characters of the compact code are input into the geographic information system;
wherein the compact code is generated for the geographic area by converting a latitude coordinate associated with a geographic area to a first character string using a base conversion, the first character string having fewer characters than the latitude coordinate; converting a longitude coordinate associated with the geographic area to a second character string using the base conversion, the second character string having fewer characters than the longitude coordinate; and interleaving the first character string and the second character string to generate the compact code such that characters from the first character string alternate with characters from the second character string in the compact code.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

I claim:

1. A ceiling fan assembly further comprising an array of lights, means to adjust the color and array of the lights in order to vary the color and layout of the lights.
2. The fan assembly of claim 1 in which the lights are light emitting diodes.
3. The fan assembly of claim 1 in which the lights comprise a message display.
4. A ceiling fan assembly comprising a motor and a plurality of fan blades, further comprising an array of light emitting diodes, means to adjust the color and array of the light emitting diodes in order to vary their color and layout.
5. The fan assembly of claim 4 in which the lights comprise a message display.
6. A ceiling fan assembly comprising a motor, a plurality of fan blades and a lamp below the fan blades, further comprising an array of light emitting diodes circling the motor, means to adjust the color and array of the light emitting diodes in order to vary their color and layout.
7. The fan assembly of claim 6 in which the light emitting diodes comprise a message display.
8. The fan assembly of claim 6 further comprising a second array of light emitting diodes circling the lamp.
9. The fan assembly of claim 7 further comprising a second array of light emitting diodes circling the lamp.
10. The fan assembly of claim 6 further comprising a power supply yoke, a ribbon cable feeder and a ribbon cable connector to convert 120 volt power to low voltage direct current to the array.
11. The fan assembly of claim 6 further comprising a microprocessor adapted to change the color and layout of the light emitting diode array.
12. The fan assembly of claim 11 further comprising a wireless, remote keyboard to program the microprocessor.
13. The fan assembly of claim 8 in which one of the arrays is a message display unit and the other is a decorative array of light emitting diodes.
14. The fan assmbly of claim 8 in which both of the arrays are message display units.

1. A wiper blade adapter having opposed elongate ends, a top end and a bottom end spaced from and opposed to the top end, the adapter comprising:
a side saddle portion including
a pair of elongate side saddle walls aligned parallel to each other, and
a floor provided at the bottom end of the adapter, the side saddle walls spaced from each other and each attached to the floor thereby defining an elongate side saddle passage, the elongate side passage open at the top end of the adapter; and

a mounting portion connected with the side saddle portion including
a pair of elongate mounting walls aligned parallel to each other, and
a top surface provided at the top of the adapter, the mounting walls spaced from each other and attached to the top surface thereby defining an elongate mounting passage, the elongate mounting passage open at the bottom end of the adapter,

wherein the side saddle portion and the mounting portion are spaced from each other, and such that an interim gap is defined between the side saddle portion and the mounting portion.
2. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1, wherein the top surface extends between the mounting portion and the side saddle portion, and such that the top surface projects over the interim gap.
3. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs provided within the interim gap, the reinforcing ribs extending from the inner side saddle wall to the inner mounting wall and oriented substantially transverse to the interim gap.
4. The wiper blade adapter of claim 2, further comprising an elongate interim wall within the interim gap and attached to the top surface, the interim wall aligned parallel to the side saddle walls and the mounting walls.
5. The wiper blade adapter of claim 4, further comprising an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the mounting walls configured to be connected with a rivet provided on a wiper blade.
6. The wiper blade adapter of claim 5, further comprising a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
7. The wiper blade adapter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing members including
a vertical reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the side saddle wall opposite of the side saddle wall that is adjacent to the interim gap,
a horizontal reinforcing member provided on the outer surface of the side saddle wall opposite of the side saddle wall that is adjacent to the interim gap, and
a transverse reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the floor.
8. A wiper blade adapter comprising:
a mounting portion including
an elongate inner mounting wall and an elongate outer mounting wall, and
a top surface provided between the inner mounting wall and the outer mounting wall together defining a mounting passage;

a side saddle portion including
an elongate inner side saddle wall and an elongate outer side saddle wall,
a bottom surface provided between the inner side saddle wall and the outer side saddle wall, together defining a side saddle passage,

wherein the mounting portion and the side saddle portion are substantially parallel with one another and the mounting passage is inverted with respect to the side saddle passage,
wherein the mounting portion and the side saddle portion are spaced, and an interim gap is defined between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall.
9. The wiper blade adapter of claim 8, wherein the top surface extends between the inner mounting wall and the inner side saddle wall, and such that the top surface projects over the interim gap.
10. The wiper blade adapter of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing ribs provided within the interim gap, the reinforcing ribs extending from the inner side saddle wall to the inner mounting wall and oriented substantially transverse to the interim gap.
11. The wiper blade adapter of claim 9, further comprising an elongate interim wall within the interim gap and attached to the top surface, the interim wall aligned parallel to the inner side saddle wall and the inner mounting wall.
12. The wiper blade adapter of claim 11, further comprising an arcuate rivet clip defined in each of the inner mounting wall and the outer mounting wall configured to be connected with a rivet provided on a wiper blade.
13. The wiper blade adapter of claim 12, further comprising a rivet end recess provided in the interim wall adjacent to the arcuate rivet clip.
14. The wiper blade adapter of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing members including
a vertical reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the outer side saddle wall,
a horizontal reinforcing member provided on the outer surface of the outer side saddle wall, and
a transverse reinforcing member provided on an outer surface of the floor.

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 laser light detection circuit comprising:
an amplifier amplifying an inputted signal corresponding to intensity of laser light and outputting the amplified signal;
a first transistor having an input terminal to which the signal amplified by the amplifier is applied;
a constant-current source connected to an output terminal of the first transistor;
a second transistor having an input terminal connected to the output terminal of the first transistor;
a bypass transistor connected between the output terminal of the first transistor and the ground; and
a control circuit controlling the constant-current source and the bypass transistor so as to form a bypass current route from the constant-current source to the ground through the bypass transistor by starting the operation of the constant-current source and turning on the bypass transistor when the circuit switches from an operation stop mode to an operation mode.
2. The laser light detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit turns on the bypass transistor before the start of the operation of the constant-current source.
3. The laser light detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit controls the constant-current source and the bypass transistor so as to form the bypass current route from the constant-current source to the ground through the bypass transistor by stopping the operation of the constant-current source and turning on the bypass transistor when the circuit switches from the operation mode to the operation stop mode.
4. The laser light detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit turns on the bypass transistor before the stop of the operation of the constant-current source.
5. The laser light detection circuit of claim 1, further comprising a light receiving element receiving laser light and generating a current corresponding to intensity of the received laser light, and a current voltage conversion circuit converting the current generated by the light receiving element to a voltage signal and outputting the voltage signal, wherein the voltage signal outputted by the current voltage conversion circuit is inputted to the amplifier.
6. The laser light detection circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a power control signal generation circuit generating a power control signal, a bias signal generation circuit generating a bias signal for controlling the constant-current source in response to the power control signal and a switch control circuit for controlling the bypass transistor in response to the power control signal.
7. A laser light detection circuit comprising:
a light receiving element receiving laser light and generating a current corresponding to intensity of the received laser light;
a current voltage conversion circuit converting the current generated by the light receiving element to a voltage signal and outputting the voltage signal;
an amplifier amplifying the voltage signal outputted by the current voltage conversion circuit and outputting the amplified voltage signal;
a first constant-current source supplying an operation current to the amplifier;
a first transistor having a base to which the voltage signal amplified by the amplifier is applied;
a second constant-current source connected to an emitter of the first transistor;
a second transistor having a base connected to the emitter of the first transistor;
a bypass transistor connected between the emitter of the first transistor and the ground; and
a control circuit controlling the first and second constant-current sources and the bypass transistor so as to form a bypass current route from the second constant-current source to the ground through the bypass transistor by starting the operations of the first and second constant-current sources and turning on the bypass transistor for a predetermined period when the circuit starts operating.
8. The laser light detection circuit of claim 7, wherein the control circuit turns on the bypass transistor before the start of the operations of the first and second constant-current sources.
9. The laser light detection circuit of claim 7, wherein the control circuit comprises a power control signal generation circuit generating a power control signal, a bias signal generation circuit generating a bias signal for controlling the first and the second constant-current sources in response to the power control signal and a switch control circuit for controlling the bypass transistor in response to the power control signal