Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A golf ball comprising:
a solid center having a deflection, under an applied static load of 200 lb., of between about 0.090 inches and about 0.150 inches;
at least one intermediate layer comprised of thermoplastic material; and
a cover layer comprising an ionomer or ionomer blend and having a Shore D hardness, measured on the curved surface of the golf ball, of greater than about 70;
wherein, the golf ball, when struck by a driver club at a clubhead velocity of about 160 feet-per-second, has an initial velocity off the clubhead of greater than about 240 feet-per-second.
2. The golf ball of claim 1, where the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.812 at a test velocity of 150 feet-per-second.
3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a diameter of less than about 1.25 inches.
4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the center has a diameter of less than about 1.125 inches.
5. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate layer(s) has a Shore D hardness as measured on the curved outer surface of the at least one intermediate layer, of between about 55 and about 62.
6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate layer comprises a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid, wherein about 100% of the acid groups are neutralized with metal ions.
7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the at least one intermediate layer further comprises greater than about 5 parts per hundred of a fatty acid salt chosen from the group consisting of magnesium stearate and magnesium oleate.
8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate layer comprises a terpolymer of ethylene, acrylic acid, and n-butyl acrylate, wherein about 100% of the acid groups are neutralized with metal ions.
9. The golf ball of claim 8, wherein the at least one intermediate layer further comprises greater than about 5 parts per hundred of a fatty acid salt chosen from the group consisting of magnesium stearate and magnesium oleate.
10. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.680 in.
11. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core, the at least one intermediate layer, and the cover layer have approximately the same specific gravity.
12. The golf ball of claim 11, wherein the specific gravity of the core, the at least one intermediate layer, and the cover layer is between about 1.115 and about 1.135.
13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.650 in.
14. The golf ball of claim 13, wherein the specific gravity of all components is between about 1.175 and about 1.195.
15. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.620 in.
16. The golf ball of claim 15, wherein the core, the at least one intermediate layer, and the cover layer have approximately the same specific gravity.
17. The golf ball of claim 16, wherein the specific gravity of all components is between about 1.230 and about 1.270.
18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
19. The golf ball of claim 18, wherein the inert filler is chosen from the groups consisting of organic and inorganic materials.
20. The golf ball of claim 19, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
21. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
22. The golf ball of claim 21, wherein the inert filler is chosen from the groups consisting of organic and inorganic materials.
23. The golf ball of claim 22, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
24. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
25. The golf ball of claim 24, wherein the inert filler is chosen from the groups consisting of organic and inorganic materials.
26. The golf ball of claim 25, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
27. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball, when rotated in a solution of salt water of sufficient density to support the ball, exhibits no single preferred orientation.
28. A golf ball comprising:
a core comprising a polybutadiene;
a mantle comprising a thermoplastic material; and
a cover layer comprising an ionomer;
wherein the golf ball exhibits a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.77 when struck by a driver club at a club head speed of 175 feet-per-second.
29. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the golf ball, when struck by a driver club at a clubhead velocity of about 160 fts, has an initial velocity off the clubhead of greater than about 238 fts.
30. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the polybutadiene comprise a high cis-1,4 content polybutadiene and the core further comprises about 20 to about 28 parts by weight of a co-crosslinking agent comprised primarily of a zinc salt of an unsaturated acrylate, about 3 to about 5 parts by weight of a metal oxide activator, and about 0.8 to about 1.5 parts per hundred resin of a free radical initiator.
31. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the core has a diameter of less than about 1.25.
32. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the thermoplastic material comprises about 70 to about 80% ethylene, about 8 to about 10.5% acrylic acid and about 12 to about 20% n-butyl acrylate.
33. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the core, the mantle, and the cover layer have approximately the same specific gravity.
34. The golf ball of claim 33, wherein the specific gravity of the core, the at least one intermediate layer, and the cover layer is between about 1.115 and about 1.135.
35. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the ball, when rotated in a solution of salt water of sufficient density to support the ball, exhibits no single preferred orientation.
36. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.680 in.
37. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.650 in.
38. The golf ball of claim 37, wherein the specific gravity of all components is between about 1.175 and about 1.195.
39. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the ball has a diameter of about 1.620 in.
40. The golf ball of claim 39, wherein the specific gravity of all components is between about 1.230 and about 1.270.
41. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the core is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
42. The golf ball of claim 41, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
43. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the mantle is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
44. The golf ball of claim 43, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
45. The golf ball of claim 28, wherein the cover layer is adjusted to a desired specific gravity through use of an inert filler.
46. The golf ball of claim 45, wherein the inorganic materials are chosen from the groups consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal sulfates, and combinations thereof.
47. A golf ball comprising:
a center;
a mantle; and
a cover layer, the center, the mantle, and the cover layer all having a specific gravity that is substantially identical;
wherein, the golf ball, when struck by a driver club at a clubhead velocity of about 160 feet-per-second, has an initial velocity off the clubhead of greater than about 240 feet-per-second.
48. The golf ball of claim 47, where the golf ball has a coefficient of restitution of greater than about 0.812 at a test velocity of about 150 feet-per-second.
49. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the center has a diameter of less than about 1.25 inches.
50. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the center has a diameter of less than about 1.125 inches.
51. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the at least one intermediate layer(s) has a Shore D hardness as measured on the curved outer surface of the mantle, of between about 55 and about 62.
52. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the mantle comprises a copolymer of ethylene and acrylic acid, wherein about 100% of the acid groups are neutralized with metal ions.
53. The golf ball of claim 52, wherein the at least one intermediate layer further comprises greater than about 5 parts per hundred of a fatty acid salt chosen from the group consisting of magnesium stearate and magnesium oleate.
54. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the mantle comprises a terpolymer of ethylene, acrylic acid, and n-butyl acrylate, wherein about 100% of the acid groups are neutralized with metal ions.
55. The golf ball of claim 54, wherein the mantle further comprises greater than 5 parts per hundred of a fatty acid salt chosen from the group consisting of magnesium stearate and magnesium oleate.
56. The golf ball of claim 47, wherein the golf ball, when rotated in a solution of salt water of sufficient density to support the ball, exhibits no single preferred orientation.

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 optimizing the calculation of matching scores between phone states and acoustic frames across a matrix of an expected progression of phone states aligned with an observed progression of acoustic frames within an utterance, the matrix having a plurality of cells, each cell associated with a characteristic acoustic frame and a characteristic phone state, the method comprising:
determining a first set of cells within a first row, the first row associated with a first phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the first set of cells meets a threshold probability of matching the first phone state;
determining a second set of cells within a second row, the second row associated with a second phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the second set of cells meets a threshold probability of matching the second phone state;
storing, on a local cache of a first core, the first phone state;
storing, on a local cache of a second core, the second phone state;
providing, to the first core, the first set of cells;
providing, to the second core, the second set of cells;
calculating, on the first core, matching scores of each characteristic state and characteristic observation of each cell of the first set of cells; and
calculating, on the second core, matching scores of each characteristic state and characteristic observation of each cell of the second set of cells.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein each acoustic frame is a portion of the utterance.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein a duration of each acoustic frame is the same for each cell.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching scores of the cells of the first set of cells are calculated simultaneously.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching scores of the cells of the first set of cells and the matching scores of the cells of the second set of cells are calculated simultaneously.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein each phone state is associated with a position within the progression of phone states.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first phone state has a position that differs from the position of the second phone state.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content of the first phone state matches the content of the second phone state.
9. A method of optimizing the calculation of matching scores between phone states and acoustic frames across a matrix of an expected progression of phone states aligned with an observed progression of acoustic frames within an utterance, the matrix having a plurality of cells, each cell associated with a characteristic acoustic frame and a characteristic phone state, the method comprising:
determining a first set of cells within a first row, the first row associated with a first phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the first set of cells meets a threshold probability of matching the first phone state;
determining a second set of cells within a second row, the second row associated with a second phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the second set of cells meets a threshold probability of matching the second phone state;
distributing storage of each phone state of the progression of phone states across a plurality of local caches on a chip;
providing, to a first core, the first set of cells associated with a first phone state that matches the phone state that is stored on the local cache that is associated with the first core;
providing, to a second core, the second set of cells associated with a second phone state that matches the phone state that is stored on the local cache that is associated with the second core;
calculating, on the first core, matching scores of each characteristic state and characteristic observation of each cell of the first set of cells; and
calculating, on the second core, matching scores of each characteristic state and characteristic observation of each cell of the second set of cells.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein each phone state is distributed to a local cache based on an amount of storage space available on the local cache.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein each phone state is distributed to the local cache having the greatest amount of available space at the time the phone state is distributed.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of phone states are stored on a local cache.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the matching scores of the cells of the first set of cells and the matching scores of the cells of the second set of cells are calculated simultaneously.
14. A method of optimizing the calculation of matching scores between phone states and acoustic frames across a matrix of an expected progression of phone states aligned with an observed progression of acoustic frames within an utterance, the matrix having a plurality of cells, each cell associated with a characteristic acoustic frame and a characteristic phone state, the method comprising:
determining a first set of cells within a first row, the first row associated with a first phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the first set of cells meets a threshold probability of matching the first phone state;
storing, on a first core, the first phone state of the progression of phone states;
scheduling the calculation of matching scores of each cell of a first set of cells on the first core, where each cell of the first set of cells is associated with the first phone state;
calculating, on the first core, matching scores of each characteristic state and characteristic observation of each cell of the first set of cells.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first phone state is stored on a local cache of the first core.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
determining a second set of cells within a second row, the second row associated with a second phone state of the progression of phone states, wherein each cell of the second set of cells has a high probability of matching the second phone state;
scheduling the calculation of matching scores of each cell of a second row of cells on the first core, where each cell of the second row of cells is associated with the first phone state;
calculating, on the first core, matching scores of the cells of the second row of cells.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of cells comprise at least one anchor point.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein a first anchor point comprises a cell associated with a first phone state of the progression of phone states, and the cell is further associated with a first acoustic frame of the progression of acoustic frames.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein a second anchor point comprises a cell associated with a last phone state of the progression of phone states, and the cell is further associated with a last acoustic frame of the progression of acoustic frames.

1. A method for integrating user positional information and venue information comprising the steps of:
determining positional information related to an item in a venue via an environment interface system;
transmitting said positional information to a feature set system through a network;
processing said positional information with venue information in order to produce a venue-specific result; and
outputting said venue-specific result through said network to a first user interface system.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said item comprises at least one of a person, point of interest, ride, attraction, room, product, store, restaurant, ticket, pass, restroom, emergency area, software and hardware.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein said user comprises at least one of a person, business, hardware, and software application.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said venue comprises at least one of amusement park, museum, national park, state park, national attraction, state attraction, concert, ski area, convention center, hotel, retail shopping area, wholesale market, grocery store, chamber of commerce, sports field, sports stadium, educational institution, tour bus, zoo, military academy, and Olympics.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said item includes multiple items in at least one venue.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said venue information comprises at least one of history information, construction information, background information, sales information, pricing information, hours of operation information, author information, name information, distance information, loyalty program information, emergency information, sponsorship information, menu information, payment information, and status information.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
receiving input from said user interface system;
transmitting said input to said feature set system through said network; and
integrating said input into said processing step to produce a venue-specific result based on said input.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of receiving input comprises receiving input from said user and said step of outputting includes outputting said venue-specific result by transmitting said venue-specific result to a user through a personal point of interaction device.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said environment interface system utilizes a GPS satellite signal.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said environment interface system comprises at least one of RFID transceivers, antennae, transponders, and tags.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said network comprises the Internet.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said venue-specific result comprises at least one of language, mapping, routing, task list, weather, distress alerts, advertising, transactions, point of interest information, and personal communication.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said advertising comprises a loyalty program sponsored by said venue.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting said venue-specific result from said first user interface system to a second user interface system.
15. A positional and venue information system comprising:
an environment interface system configured to determine positional information related to an item within a venue;
a feature set system configured to utilize said location information with an application related to said venue;
a user interface system configured to enable a user to interact with at least one of said environment interface system and said feature set system; and
a network providing two-way communication between said environment interface system, said feature set system, and said user interface system.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein said network includes the Internet.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein said user interface system comprises a personal point of interaction device.
18. A storage medium readable by a machine containing a set of program instructions executable by the machine to perform the steps comprising:
determining positional information related to an item in a venue via an environment interface system;
transmitting said positional information to a feature set system through a network;
processing said positional information with venue information in order to produce a venue-specific result;
outputting said venue-specific result through said network to a first user interface system;
receiving input from said first user interface system;
transmitting said input to said feature set system through said network; and
integrating said input into said processing step to produce a venue-specific result based on said input.

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 Raman detecting system, comprising:
a bowl shaped metal nanostructure array configured to load a sample;
a projecting module configured to project a beam of light to the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array; and
a receiving module configured to collect light scattered by the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array;
wherein the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array comprises:
a substrate having a surface; and
a plurality of particle-in-bowl structures located on the surface of the substrate, each of the plurality of particle-in-bowl structures comprises a bowl shaped concave structure and a protruding member protruding from the bowl shaped concave structure, wherein the protruding member is integrated with the bowl shaped concave structure.
2. The Raman detecting system of claim 1, wherein the protruding member and the bowl shaped concave structure are made by the same metal.
3. The Raman detecting system of claim 2, wherein the metal is copper, titanium, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, or plalladium.
4. The Raman detecting system of claim 1, wherein a shape of the protruding member comprises a spherical portion.
5. The Raman detecting system of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the spherical protruding member is in a range from about 2 nanometers to about 60 nanometers.
6. The Raman detecting system of claim 1, wherein the bowl shaped concave structure comprises an inside surface, the protruding member is in a middle of the inside surface and protruded out of the inside surface.
7. The Raman detecting system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of particle-in-bowl structures is substantially parallel with and spaced from each other to form an array.
8. The Raman detecting system of claim 7, wherein a distance between two adjacent particle-in-bowl structures is in a range from about 100 nanometers to about 150 nanometers.
9. The Raman detecting system of claim 1, wherein the protruding member and the bowl shaped concave structure are made by gold.
10. A Raman detecting system, comprising:
a bowl shaped metal nanostructure array configured to load a sample;
a projecting module configured to project a beam of light to the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array; and
a receiving module configured to collect light scattered by the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array;
wherein the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array comprises:
a substrate;
a metal layer located on the substrate, wherein the metal layer has a surface away from the substrate; and
a plurality of particle-in-bowl structures located on the surface of the metal layer, each of the plurality of particle-in-bowl structures comprises a bowl shaped concave structure and a protruding member protruding from the bowl shaped concave structure, wherein the protruding member is integrated with the bowl shaped concave structure.
11. The Raman detecting system of claim 10, wherein the protruding member and the bowl shaped concave structure are made by the same metal.
12. The Raman detecting system of claim 11, wherein the metal is copper, titanium, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, or plalladium.
13. The Raman detecting system of claim 10, wherein the protruding member and the bowl shaped concave structure are made by gold.
14. The Raman detecting system of claim 10, wherein the bowl shaped concave structure comprises an inside surface, the protruding member is in a middle of the inside surface and protruded out of the inside surface.
15. The Raman detecting system of claim 10, wherein a shape of the protruding member comprises a spherical.
16. The Raman detecting system of claim 15, wherein a diameter of the spherical protruding member is in a range from about 2 nanometers to about 60 nanometers.
17. The Raman detecting system of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the metal layer between two adjacent particle-in-bowl structures is in a range from about 5 nanometers to about 80 nanometers.
18. A Raman detecting system, comprising:
a bowl shaped metal nanostructure array configured to load a sample;
a projecting module configured to project a beam of light to the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array; and
a receiving module configured to collect light scattered by the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array;
wherein the bowl shaped metal nanostructure array comprises a plurality of particle-in-bowl structures that share a substrate, each of the plurality of particle-in-bowl structures comprises a bowl shaped concave structure and a protruding member protruding from the bowl shaped concave structure, wherein the protruding member and the bowl shaped concave structure are made by the same metal.
19. The Raman detecting system of claim 18, wherein the metal is copper, titanium, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, or plalladium.
20. The Raman detecting system of claim 18, wherein the bowl shaped concave structure comprises an inside surface, the protruding member is in a middle of the inside surface and protruded out of the inside surface.