Author: claimsbot

1. A method for facilitating collection of electronic data, the method comprising:
associating a data gathering module with an electronic device of a user;
collecting interaction data via the data gathering module;
compensating the user based on the collecting interaction data step; and
maintaining a user profile based at least in part on the interaction data.
2. The method of claim 2, wherein the compensating step comprises:
providing at least one of discounted merchandise and discounted services to the user.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
enabling the user to select at least one of data collection levels and data sharing levels; and
compensating the user with compensation in proportion to at least one of the data collection levels and the data sharing levels.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
selecting a first data collection level for a first type of data; and
selecting a second data collection level for a second type of data.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
selecting a first sharing level for the first type of data; and
selecting a second sharing level for the second type of data.
6. The method of claim 6, wherein the compensating the user step comprises:
compensating the user at a first compensation rate for at least one of the selecting a first data collection level step and the selecting a first sharing level steps; and
compensating the user at a second compensation rate for at least one of the selecting a second data collection level step and the selecting a second sharing level step.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises spatial data.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises temporal data
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises the interaction data.
10. The method of claim 5, wherein the first type of data comprises data from at least two of spatial data, temporal data and the interaction data.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second type of data comprises data from at least one of spatial data, temporal data and interaction data not included in the first type of data.
12. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with businesses.
13. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with governmental entities.
14. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level relates to data shared with personal relations.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein the first sharing level allows shares the first type of data with a first entity, and the second sharing level shares the second type of data with a second entity.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first type of data and the second type of data include at least some common data, and wherein the common data is shared with the first entity and wherein the common data is not shared with the second entity.
17. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the compensation is derived from revenue generated via the maintaining of the user profile step.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: enabling a vendor to access to the user profile, wherein a maintainer of the user profiles provides at some of the compensation, and wherein the vendor provides at some of the compensation.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a mobile electronic device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile electronic device is a mobile phone.

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 generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the method comprising:
processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.
7. A computer program product implemented in a computer readable storage medium for generating electrode stimulation signals for a plurality of stimulation electrodes in an implanted electrode array, the product comprising:
program code for processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
program code for extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
program code for mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
program code for developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
8. A product according to claim 7, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
9. A product according to claim 7, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
10. A product according to claim 7, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
11. A product according to claim 7, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
12. A product according to claim 7, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.
13. A system for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array, the system comprising:
means for processing an acoustic audio signal to generate a plurality of band pass signals each representing an associated band of audio frequencies;
means for extracting stimulation information from the band pass signals to generate a set of stimulation event signals defining electrode stimulation signals;
means for mapping the stimulation event signals according to independent channel-specific loudness functions based on ISO normal hearing contours to produce a set of electrode stimulation signals within channel-specific minimum and maximum threshold levels; and
means for developing the electrode stimulation signals into a set of output electrode pulses to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array.
14. A system according to claim 13, wherein stimulation event signals below the minimum threshold level are mapped to a minimum stimulation event signal.
15. A system according to claim 13, wherein stimulation event signals above the maximum threshold level are mapped to a maximum stimulation event signal.
16. A system according to claim 13, wherein the threshold levels are based on system sound pressure level (SPL) limits.
17. A system according to claim 13, wherein the loudness functions are logarithmic functions.
18. A system according to claim 13, wherein the loudness functions are frequency related.

1. A method of bone fixation, comprising:
securing a bone plate to at least one bone, or portion thereof, such that the bone plate is disposed under skin; and
adjusting a relative disposition of plate members of the bone plate by relative movement of the plate members via an adjustable joint that connects the plate members and observation of reference marks, the reference marks being disposed on the bone plate and being configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments,
wherein the step of adjusting includes a step of manipulating a handle portion that is connected removably to a plate member.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of securing includes a step of attaching the plate members to the at least one bone with a plurality of fasteners, and wherein the step of adjusting is performed after the step of attaching.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of securing a bone plate includes a step of securing the bone plate to a radius bone.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a relative disposition includes a step of pivoting a plate member relative to another plate member.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a relative disposition includes a step of moving a plate member translationally relative to another plate member.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting a relative disposition includes a step of observing reference marks that include numbers.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference marks include a landmark on a plate member and a set of regularly spaced marks on another plate member, and wherein the step of adjusting includes a step of comparing the regularly spaced marks to the landmark to measure the relative disposition.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the regularly spaced marks corresponds to a standard setting and is further denoted relative to the remaining regularly spaced marks by alternative andor additional indicia.
9. A method of bone fixation, comprising:
securing plate members of a bone plate to a radius bone such that the plate members are disposed under skin; and
adjusting a relative angular disposition of the plate members by relative angular movement of the plate members and observation of reference marks, the reference marks being disposed on at least one of the plate members and being configured to indicate a plurality of predefined adjustments.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of selecting an adjustment to the relative angular disposition, wherein the adjustment is applied during the step of adjusting, wherein the step of securing includes a step of attaching the plate members to the radius bone with a plurality of fasteners, and wherein the step of attaching is performed before the step of selecting.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting an adjustment includes a step of measuring an angular disposition of one or more fragments of the radius bone.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of cutting the radius bone before the step of securing to form a cut region flanked by fragments of a radius bone.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of cutting excises a segment of the radius bone.
14. The method of claim 9, the predefined adjustments corresponding to a set of predefined numerical values, further comprising a step of selecting a numerical value before the step of adjusting, wherein the step of adjusting includes a step of moving at least one of the plate members until the reference marks indicate that the numerical value has been reached.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of presetting the relative disposition by relative movement of the plate members prior to the steps of securing plate members and adjusting a relative angular disposition.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of securing includes a step of attaching the plate members to the radius bone with a plurality of fasteners, and wherein the step of adjusting is performed after the step of attaching.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting a relative disposition includes a step of pivoting a plate member relative to another plate member.
18. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting the relative angular disposition further includes a step of moving a plate member translationally relative to another plate member.
19. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adjusting a relative disposition includes a step of observing reference marks that include numbers.
20. The method of claim 9, wherein the reference marks include a landmark on a plate member and a set of regularly spaced marks on another plate member, and wherein the step of adjusting includes a step of comparing the regularly spaced marks to the landmark to measure the relative disposition.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the regularly spaced marks corresponds to a standard setting and is further denoted relative to the remaining regularly spaced marks by alternative andor additional indicia.

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. An electromagnetic relay with at least one moveable contact spring, having an assigned normally-open contact, wherein the moveable contact spring is connected electrically-conductively to a first electrical terminal and the normally-open contact is connected electrically-conductively to a further electrical terminal, having a moveably mounted actuating element to move the moveable contact spring as a function of the current flowing through the relay in contact with the normally-open contact, wherein the contact spring has first and second sides with a central longitudinal axis extending along the length of the contact spring, intermediate the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being spaced transversely from the central longitudinal axis, the contact spring and is equipped with first and second abutment surfaces, the first abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the first side and the second abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the second side, and on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the contact spring, and the actuating element is equipped with two actuating members, which are provided to seat against respective abutment surfaces in order to move the contact spring, wherein the two abutment surfaces are in relation to a contact region of the contact spring, disposed on opposing sides of the contact spring, and each abutment surface is provided on a sprung arm, which are connected to a base body of the moveable contact spring, the sprung arms extend laterally out from the base body from a region beneath the contact region and are carried upwards into the region of the contact region and are disposed at the side of the contact region, preferably with equal lateral spacing from the contact region, and preferably end at an identical height with the abutment surfaces for the actuating element.
2. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the two abutment surfaces are disposed at an identical height in the region of the contact region of the contact spring.
3. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein a third sprung arm is provided on the contact spring, wherein the third sprung arm is disposed above the actuating element and restricts the movement of the actuating element in an upward direction.
4. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 3, wherein the first actuating arm extends between the first and the third sprung arms.
5. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the contact spring is equipped with a further abutment surface, wherein a third actuating surface of the actuating element is assigned to the further abutment surface, and wherein the actuating element draws the contact spring away from the normally-open contact as a result of the seating of the third actuating surface against the further abutment surface.
6. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 5, wherein the further abutment surface is provided at the level of the contact region of the contact spring, preferably on the same side of the contact region as the second sprung arm.
7. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein the actuating element is equipped with two actuating arms, which are equipped with actuating surfaces assigned to the abutment surfaces.
8. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, wherein a second moveable contact spring, which is of identical design to the first contact spring and disposed adjacent to the first contact spring, is provided, wherein the actuating element is designed to actuate the second moveable contact spring.
9. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 8, wherein the relay is covered with a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is equipped with a wall, wherein the wall is routed between the two moveable contact springs and represents an electrically insulating wall between the two contact springs.
10. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 9, wherein the actuating element andor the housing wall is equipped with a recess, wherein the recess is disposed between the two contact springs and wherein the wall of the housing cover projects into the recess.
11. An electromagnetic relay with at least one moveable contact spring, having an assigned normally-open contact, wherein the moveable contact spring is connected electrically-conductively to a first electrical terminal and the normally-open contact is connected electrically-conductively to a further electrical terminal, having a moveably mounted actuating element to move the moveable contact spring as a function of the current flowing through the relay in contact with the normally-open contact, wherein the contact spring has first and second sides with a central longitudinal axis extending along the length of the contact spring, intermediate the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being spaced transversely from the central longitudinal axis, the contact spring and is equipped with first and second abutment surfaces, the first abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the first side and the second abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the second side, and on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the contact spring, and the actuating element is equipped with two actuating members, which are provided to seat against respective abutment surfaces in order to move the contact spring, wherein a third sprung arm is provided on the contact spring, wherein the third sprung arm is disposed above the actuating element and restricts the movement of the actuating element in an upward direction.
12. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 11, wherein the contact spring is equipped with a further abutment surface, wherein a third actuating surface of the actuating element is assigned to the further abutment surface, and wherein the actuating element draws the contact spring away from the normally-open contact as a result of the seating of the third actuating surface against the further abutment surface.
13. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 12, wherein the further abutment surface is provided at the level of the contact region of the contact spring, preferably on the same side of the contact region as the second sprung arm.
14. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 11, wherein the actuating element is equipped with two actuating arms, which are equipped with actuating surfaces assigned to the abutment surfaces.
15. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 11, wherein the first actuating arm extends between the first and the third sprung arms.
16. An electromagnetic relay with at least one moveable contact spring, having an assigned normally-open contact, wherein the moveable contact spring is connected electrically-conductively to a first electrical terminal and the normally-open contact is connected electrically-conductively to a further electrical terminal, having a moveably mounted actuating element to move the moveable contact spring as a function of the current flowing through the relay in contact with the normally-open contact, wherein the contact spring has first and second sides with a central longitudinal axis extending along the length of the contact spring, intermediate the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being spaced transversely from the central longitudinal axis, the contact spring and is equipped with first and second abutment surfaces, the first abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the first side and the second abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the second side, and on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the contact spring, and the actuating element is equipped with two actuating members, which are provided to seat against respective abutment surfaces in order to move the contact spring, wherein the contact spring is equipped with a further abutment surface, wherein a third actuating surface of the actuating element is assigned to the further abutment surface, and wherein the actuating element draws the contact spring away from the normally-open contact as a result of the seating of the third actuating surface against the further abutment surface.
17. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 16, wherein each abutment surface is provided on a sprung arm, which are connected to a base body of the moveable contact spring.
18. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 17, wherein the sprung arms extend laterally out from the base body from a region beneath the contact region and are carried upwards into the region of the contact region and are disposed at the side of the contact region, preferably with equal lateral spacing from the contact region, and preferably end at an identical height with the abutment surfaces for the actuating element.
19. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 16, wherein a third sprung arm is provided on the contact spring, wherein the third sprung arm is disposed above the actuating element and restricts the movement of the actuating element in an upward direction.
20. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 16, wherein the contact spring is equipped with a further abutment surface, wherein a third actuating surface of the actuating element is assigned to the further abutment surface, and wherein the actuating element draws the contact spring away from the normally-open contact as a result of the seating of the third actuating surface against the further abutment surface.
21. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 16, wherein the relay is covered with a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is equipped with a wall, wherein the wall is routed between the two moveable contact springs and represents an electrically insulating wall between the two contact springs.
22. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 21, wherein the actuating element andor the housing wall is equipped with a recess, wherein the recess is disposed between the two contact springs and wherein the wall of the housing cover projects into the recess.
23. An electromagnetic relay with at least one moveable contact spring, having an assigned normally-open contact, wherein the moveable contact spring is connected electrically-conductively to a first electrical terminal and the normally-open contact is connected electrically-conductively to a further electrical terminal, having a moveably mounted actuating element to move the moveable contact spring as a function of the current flowing through the relay in contact with the normally-open contact, wherein the contact spring has first and second sides with a central longitudinal axis extending along the length of the contact spring, intermediate the first and second sides, with the first and second sides being spaced transversely from the central longitudinal axis, the contact spring and is equipped with first and second abutment surfaces, the first abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the first side and the second abutment surface being positioned adjacent to the second side, and on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the contact spring, and the actuating element is equipped with two actuating members, which are provided to seat against respective abutment surfaces in order to move the contact spring, wherein a second moveable contact spring, which is of identical design to the first contact spring and disposed adjacent to the first contact spring, is provided, wherein the actuating element is designed to actuate the second moveable contact spring.
24. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 23, wherein the relay is covered with a housing cover, wherein the housing cover is equipped with a wall, wherein the wall is routed between the two moveable contact springs and represents an electrically insulating wall between the two contact springs.
25. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 24, wherein the actuating element andor the housing wall is equipped with a recess, wherein the recess is disposed between the two contact springs and wherein the wall of the housing cover projects into the recess.