Author: claimsbot

1. A packaging arrangement, comprising:
a) an envelope defining a volume;
b) a sleeve positioned within the volume of the envelope, the sleeve including a back panel and a front panel, the front panel being located within a central region of the volume of the envelope when the sleeve is positioned within the envelope; and
c) a postcard positioned behind the back panel of the sleeve within the volume of the envelope, the postcard including a main portion and a tab, the tab being located outside the volume of the envelope when the main portion of the postcard is positioned within the envelope.
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the postcard can be pulled out from the volume of the envelope by the tab without opening either of a first end or a second end of the envelope.
3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second ends of the envelope is defined by side flaps that open and close, and wherein at least one of the side flaps remains closed when the postcard is pulled out from the volume of the envelope.
4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front panel is a non-opaque construction.
5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the back panel is an opaque construction.
6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the back panel has a first opaque color that transitions into a second opaque color, and wherein the front panel has a first non-opaque color that transitions into a second non-opaque color, the location of the first and second opaque colors and the first and second non-opaque colors providing three-dimensional imagery.
7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the volume of the envelope is between about 40 and 325 cubic inches.
8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the volume of the envelope is defined by front and back walls and side flaps located at first and second ends of the envelope.
9. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein the each of the front and back walls includes first and second side flaps that fold over one another.
10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second side flaps of at least one of the front and back walls includes indicia structure to indicate that the side flap can be opened to access the content of the envelope.
11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the indicia structure is a thumb notch formed in the at least one side flap of the envelope.
12. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein a folding portion of the postcard is positioned between the first side flaps of the front and back walls at the first end of the envelope.
13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the tab of the postcard extends out from the side flaps so that a recipient can grasp the tab to pull the postcard out from the volume of the envelope.
14. The arrangement of claim 8, wherein the front and back walls of the envelope have a convex curvature.
15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the first and second ends of the envelope have a concave curvature.
16. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the back panel of the sleeve has a convex curvature corresponding to the convex curvature of the back wall of the envelope.
17. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the front panel is planar.
18. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is size and configured to slide into and out from the volume of the envelope.
19. The arrangement of claim 18, further including a sample product secured to the sleeve, the sample product being accessible by sliding the sleeve out from the volume of the envelope.
20. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the envelope is sized for direct mailing without additional packaging or wrap.
21. A method of assembling a packaging arrangement, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing an envelope having a volume, the envelope having a first end and a second end;
b) inserting a sleeve into the volume of the envelope, the sleeve including a back panel and a front panel, the front panel being located in a central region of the volume when the sleeve is inserted into the volume;
c) sliding a postcard into the volume of the envelope behind the back panel, the postcard including a folding portion and a tab; and
d) enclosing the volume of the envelope by closing side flaps located at the first and second ends of the envelope, the folding portion and the tab of the postcard being located outside the volume of the envelope when the first and second ends of the envelope are enclosed.
22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of placing an article within the volume of the envelope.
23. The method of claim 21, further including providing informational material on at least one of the postcard and the sleeve.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of providing informational material includes securing an article to the front panel of the sleeve.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of providing informational material includes providing printed information on the postcard.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of providing informational material includes providing printed graphics on at least one of the front panel and the back panel of the sleeve.
27. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of enclosing the volume of the envelope includes positioning the folding portion of the postcard between the side flaps such that the tab extends outward from the side flaps.
28. The method of claim 21, further including the step of securing the tab of the postcard to an exterior surface of the envelope.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the step of securing the tab includes adhering the tab to the exterior surface with a removable adhesive.
30. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of providing an envelope includes providing an envelope sized and constructed to be directly mailed without additional packaging or wrap.
31. A method of using a packaging arrangement, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a packaging arrangement, the arrangement including:
i) an envelope having a volume;
ii) a sleeve positioned within the volume of the envelope; and
iii) a postcard having a main portion and a tab, the main portion of the postcard being positioned within the volume of the envelope, the tab being positioned outside the volume of the envelope; and

b) pulling the tab of the postcard and sliding the main portion of the postcard out from the volume of the envelope without opening the envelope.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of providing the packaging arrangement includes providing a sleeve having a back panel and a front panel, the front panel being located in a central region of the volume.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of sliding the main portion of the postcard out from the volume of the envelope includes sliding the main portion out from behind the back panel of the sleeve.
34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of providing the packaging arrangement includes providing an envelope having side flaps located at each of a first end and a second end of the envelope.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of pulling the tab includes opening a first side flap located at the first end of the envelope.
36. The method of claim 35, further including the step of opening a second side flap at the first end to access the volume of the envelope.
37. The method of claim 36, further including sliding the sleeve out from the volume of the envelope, through the opened first end of the envelope.
38. The method of claim 37, further including detaching an article from the sleeve of the packing arrangement.
39. The method of claim 31, further including the step of detaching the tab of the postcard from an exterior surface of the envelope before pulling the tab.

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 digital frequencyphase recovery circuit for generating a sampling clock according to a frequency and a phase of an input signal, comprising:
a comparator with hysteresis for receiving the input signal to generate a comparison signal, wherein the comparison signal is set to state \u201cHigh\u201d when the level of the input signal is higher than a high reference voltage, and the comparison signal is set to state \u201cLow\u201d when the level of the input signal is lower than a low reference voltage;
a counter for receiving the comparison signal, calculating the number of pulses of the comparison signal in one period relating to a counting clock, and outputting a pulse value, wherein the frequency of the counting clock being higher than that of the comparison signal;
a frequency determiner for receiving the pulse value, calculating the frequency of the input signal according to the pulse value, and generating a frequency value;
a multi-phase clock generator for receiving the frequency value and generating multi-phase reference clocks with identical frequency and distinct phases according to the frequency value;
a transition detector for receiving the comparison signal and generating a transition signal, wherein the transition signal is enabled for a preset period as the comparison signal is changing from a high level to a low level or from the low level to the high level;
a phase adjuster for receiving the transition signal and the sampling clock and generating a phase selection signal according to the phase relationship between the sampling clock and the transition signal; and
a multiplexer for receiving the multi-phase reference clocks and selecting one reference clock as the sampling clock according to the phase selection signal.
2. The digital frequencyphase recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-phase clock generator comprises:
a digital to analog converter for receiving the frequency value and converting the frequency value into a control signal; and
a digital control oscillator for receiving the control signal and generating the multi-phase reference clocks.
3. The digital frequencyphase recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frequency determiner computes an average of multiple pulse values neighboring a smallest pulse value and divides the average by the period corresponding to the smallest pulse value to acquire the frequency value.
4. The digital frequencyphase recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frequency determiner computes an average of multiple pulse values neighboring a largest pulse value and divides the average by the period corresponding to the largest pulse value to acquire the frequency value.
5. The digital frequencyphase recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase adjuster comprises:
a delay unit for receiving the sampling clock and delaying the sampling clock with a fixed time to generate a delay signal;
a phase detector for receiving the delay signal and the transition signal and comparing their phase difference to generate phase control signals; and
a updown counter for receiving the phase control signals and adjusting a phase selection signal according to the phase control signals;
wherein the phase selection signal is added by one unit as the phase of the delay signal advances that of the transition signal, while the phase selection signal is subtracted by one unit as the phase of the delay signal lags behind that of the transition signal.

What is claimed as new and is intended to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An element for the absorption of energy which contains reinforcing elements which extend at least partially in the direction of compression to which the element is subjected, wherein the reinforcing elements within the element are encircled by plastic foam particles glued or welded to one another, said reinforcing elements at least partially taking up the compressive force whereby they buckle in on overshoot of a compression of at most 20% with respect to their length in the direction of compression.
2. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing elements buckle in on overshoot of a compression of at least 2% with respect to their length in the direction of compression.
3. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing elements are not foamed and wherein the formed part consisting of glued or welded plastic foam particles possesses, without the reinforcing elements, a weight per space of 15 to 170 kgm3.
4. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, wherein several reinforcing elements, upon subjection of the energy absorbing element to compression, buckle in during compression, not all at once but rather at least partially, one after the other.
5. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 4, wherein the reinforcing elements have different lengths within the element in the direction of compression.
6. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing elements are in the form of a bar or a tube or discs or crosses or Y- or X- or V- or T- or L- or U- or Z-shaped profiles.
7. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, wherein several reinforcing elements are connected to one another via material bridges which possess a solidity at the point where the reinforcing elements are positioned in common in a form for welding or gluing of the plastic foam particles.
8. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 1, which has a yield factor of 0.65 to 0.95 with respect to a quasi-static measurement.
9. The element for the absorption of energy according to claim 8, which has a yield factor of 0.8 to 0.95 with respect to a quasi-static measurement.
10. A shock absorber which protects against lateral impact or function as an impact deflector element in motor vehicles, prepared from the energy absorbing element according to claim 1.
11. A pallet prepared from energy absorbing element according to claim 1.
12. A method of forming an energy absorbing element, comprising:
placing reinforcing elements within a mold cavity in a position such that the elements extend in the direction of stress which is applied to the product body in its use;
filling the mold cavity with plastic foam particles thereby enveloping the reinforcing elements;
heating the contents of the mold thereby bonding the foam particles to each other to obtain a shaped plastic body.

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 authenticating a user session, the method comprising:
receiving a request for creating a session from a computing device;
identifying a location associated with the computing device originating the request;
receiving a measure of reputation of the location, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is determined based at least in part on statistical information for a set of past sessions that originated from the location and were determined to be suspicious;
determining a level of authentication required from the sender of the request based on the measure of reputation of the location; and
sending a request for authentication, wherein the information requested for authentication is determined based on the level of authentication.
2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the measure of reputation of the location indicates an unsafe location if a number of suspicious sessions originating from the location in the past is above a predetermined threshold.
3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is further based on a measure of reputation of a second location that is within a threshold distance of the location.
4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is further determined based on a distance of the location from the neighboring location.
5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a past session is determined to be suspicious if the past session was associated with an activity considered unsafe.
6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a past session is determined to be suspicious if the past session was associated with an illegitimate activity.
7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a past session is determined to be suspicious if the past session sent a request for access to information of a type classified as sensitive information.
8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a past session is determined to be suspicious if the past session failed an authentication.
9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a measure of reputation for each of a plurality of locations from a third-party service provider.
10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating a measure of reputation for each of a plurality of locations based on actions executed by previous sessions.
11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the level of authentication required from the sender of the request comprises a captcha.
12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location is a netblock and the session was created from a network address in the netblock.
13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location is a geographical location.
14. A computer implemented method for determining a measure of reputation of a netblock, the method comprising:
receiving information related to a plurality of sessions originating from a location, wherein a session originating from a location is created from device associated with the location;
determining a measure of suspiciousness for each session in the plurality of sessions based on actions associated with the session indicating authenticity of the session;
determining a measure of reputation of the location based on an aggregate of measures of suspiciousness of sessions originating from the location, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is used to determine the level of authentication required for sessions originating from the location; and
storing the determined measure of reputation of the location in a computer readable medium.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the location is a netblock and the session was created from a network address in the netblock.
16. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the location is a geographical location.
17. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the actions associated with the session indicating the authenticity of the user creating the session comprise requests from the session attempting to access information of a type classified as sensitive information.
18. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the actions associated with the session indicating the authenticity of the user creating the session comprise a failure of the session to provide authentication information.
19. A computer program product having a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable code for authenticating a user session, the code comprising:
a session manager configured to:
receive a request for creating a session from a computing device;
identify a location associated with the computing device originating the request;
receive a measure of reputation of the location, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is determined based at least in part on statistical information for a set of past sessions that originated from the location and were determined to be suspicious;

an authentication manager configured to:
determine a level of authentication required from the sender of the request based on the measure of reputation of the location; and
send a request for authentication, wherein the information requested for authentication is determined based on the level of authentication.
20. A computer program product having a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable code for determining a measure of reputation of a netblock, the method comprising:
a suspicious index manager configured to:
receive information related to a plurality of sessions originating from a location, wherein a session originating from a location is created from device associated with the location;
determine a measure of suspiciousness for each session in the plurality of sessions based on actions associated with the session indicating authenticity of the session;
determine a measure of reputation of the location based on an aggregate of measures of suspiciousness of sessions originating from the location, wherein the measure of reputation of the location is used to determine the level of authentication required for sessions originating from the location; and
store the determined measure of reputation of the location in a computer readable medium.