Author: claimsbot

1. A computer-implemented method for sharing current location information among users by using relationship information stored in a database, the method comprising:
a) receiving data sent from a sender’s communication device, the data containing self-declared location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data determined without the aid of automatic location determination technology;
b) determining from the data the sender’s identity and based on the sender’s identity and the relationship information stored in the database, determining a plurality of users associated with the sender and who have agreed to receive messages about the sender, each of the plurality of users having a communication device;
c) wherein the data sent from the sender’s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users; and

sending a notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender’s self-declared location information.

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 apparatus for dimmably supplying power, the apparatus comprising:
an input power terminal;
a switch connected to the input power terminal;
an inductor connected in series with the switch;
a load terminal connected in series with the switch and with the inductor; and
a variable pulse generator operable to control the switch to regulate a current to the load terminal based at least in part on a feedback signal from a node in series with the load terminal and at least in part on a voltage reference signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bias power supply connected to the input power terminal, the bias power supply being operable to adapt a voltage level at the input power terminal and to supply power to the variable pulse generator from the input power terminal.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage reference signal comprises a constant voltage supply.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the voltage reference signal is based on a voltage level at the input power terminal, and wherein the variable pulse generator is operable to control the current to the load terminal based at least in part on the voltage level at the input power terminal.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a sense resistor connected in series between the switch and the inductor, wherein the node connected to the feedback signal is located between the sense resistor and the inductor.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein an upper node between the sense resistor and the switch is connected to a local ground input of the variable pulse generator.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the input power terminal comprises a source node and a return node, and wherein the load terminal comprises a first node and a second node, wherein the source node is connected to the switch, the first node of the load terminal is connected to the inductor, and the return node is connected to the second node of the load terminal, the apparatus further comprising a diode connected between the return node and the local ground input of the variable pulse generator, the diode being operable to provide a return path for the current through load terminal when the switch is off.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:
a second sense resistor connected between the switch and the sense resistor; and
a second feedback signal connected to the variable pulse generator and to a node between the switch and the second sense resistor.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a rectifier connected between the input power terminal and an alternating current input;
an EMI filter connected to the alternating current input; and
a fuse connected to the alternating current input.
10. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an operational amplifier operable to amplify a difference between the feedback signal and a reference voltage to yield the voltage reference signal, wherein the reference voltage is derived from the bias power supply.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least one time constant circuit connected to the operational amplifier.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the variable pulse generator, the operational amplifier and the bias power supply are embodied in an integrated circuit.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable pulse generator is embodied in an integrated circuit.
14. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an operational amplifier operable to amplify a difference between the feedback signal and a reference voltage to yield the voltage reference signal, wherein the reference voltage is provided by a bandgap reference.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable pulse generator is operable to control the switch to regulate the current to the load terminal at least in part to optimize a power factor of the apparatus.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the variable pulse generator is operable to control the switch to regulate the current to the load terminal at least in part based on instantaneous levels in the current to the load terminal.
17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the variable pulse generator is operable to control the switch to regulate the current to the load terminal at least in part based on average levels in the current to the load terminal.
18. A method of dimmably controlling an electrical current, the method comprising:
controlling a switch between a power input and a load output using a variable pulse generator;
measuring a current level to the load output;
adjusting an output of the variable pulse generator based at least in part on the current level;
energizing an inductor in series with the switch and the load output when the switch is on; and
providing a return path through the load output and the inductor when the switch is off.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising referencing the current level to a voltage at the power input to adjust the output of the variable pulse generator.
20. An apparatus for dimmably supplying power, the apparatus comprising:
an input power terminal;
a switch connected to the input power terminal;
an inductor connected in series with the switch;
a load terminal connected in series with the switch and with the inductor;
a sense resistor connected in series between the switch and the inductor, wherein the node connected to the feedback signal is located between the sense resistor and the inductor, and wherein an upper node between the sense resistor and the switch is connected to a local ground input of the variable pulse generator;
a variable pulse generator operable to control the switch to regulate a current to the load terminal based at least in part on a feedback signal from a node in series with the load terminal and at least in part on a voltage reference signal, wherein the voltage reference signal is based on a voltage level at the input power terminal, and wherein the variable pulse generator is operable to control the current to the load terminal based at least in part on the voltage level at the input power terminal; and
a bias power supply connected to the input power terminal, the bias power supply being operable to adapt a voltage level at the input power terminal and to supply power to the variable pulse generator from the input power terminal.

1. A method comprising:
sensing a local environmental condition;
receiving an electronic communication message;
sensing a local microphone signal level associated with the communication message; and
issuing a notification if the local microphone signal level exceeds a threshold associated with the local environmental condition.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the local environmental condition comprises ambient sound.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the threshold comprises a voice level.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the local environmental condition with an environmental setting.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the environmental setting comprises a setting selected from a group consisting of a movie theater setting, a lecture setting, and a musical performance setting.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing a local environmental condition comprises sensing at least one environmental condition selected from a group consisting of ambient sound, ambient light, orientation and movement.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification comprises at least one member selected from a group consisting of an audio notification, a mechanical notification and a visual notification.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication message comprises a telephone call.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication message comprises a member selected from a group consisting of a video call, a text message, a message communicated via a short message service, and a message communicated via a multimedia message service.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the issuing depends at least in part on an identifier that identifies a sender of the electronic communication message wherein the identifier is associated with a manners rating.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the manners rating comprises a scale of good to bad manners and wherein the issuing issues a more intense notification based at least in part on the manners rating.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling an etiquette feature wherein the etiquette feature provides for associating a notification with an environmental setting.
13. An apparatus comprising:
circuitry configured to receive an electronic communication message;
circuitry configured to sense information for at least one local environmental condition;
circuitry configured to determine an environmental setting based on sensed information for at least one local environmental condition;
circuitry configured to associate a notification with an environmental setting; and
circuitry configured to issue a notification associated with an environmental setting responsive to receipt of an electronic communication message.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuitry to issue a notification comprises circuitry to issue the notification in response to receipt of an electronic communication message and a sensed level associated with the communication that exceeds a threshold.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the notification comprises a notification selected from a group consisting of an audio notification, a visual notification and a mechanical notification.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuitry configured to issue a notification comprises circuitry to issue multiple notifications responsive to sensed levels associated with a communication message that exceed a threshold.
17. One or more machine-readable storage media comprising processor-executable instructions to instruct a machine to:
enable an etiquette notification feature;
sense information associated with at least one local environmental condition;
select an environmental setting based at least in part on sensed information; and
issue an etiquette notification associated with an environmental setting responsive to receipt of an electronic communication message.
18. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 17 further comprising processor-executable instructions to instruct a machine to issue an etiquette notification responsive to a local microphone signal level that exceeds a threshold for an environmental setting.
19. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 17 wherein the processor-executable instructions to enable comprise processor-executable instructions to render a graphical user interface to a display wherein the graphical user interface comprises controls for associating an etiquette notification with an environmental setting.
20. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 17 further comprising processor-executable instructions to instruct a machine to issue an etiquette notification and to redirect an electronic communication message.

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 making an availability determination regarding a requested ware, the method comprising:
identifying a request to provide a quantity of a ware at a delivery date;
determining, in response to the identification, which one of multiple time periods includes the delivery date, the multiple time periods being at least three and running serially from a beginning time, each of the multiple time periods corresponding to a step in a process to provide the ware and being associated with a different supply scope for determining ware availability; and
determining availability of the ware for the request using the supply scope of the determined time period.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a lead time period of the multiple time periods furthest from the beginning time is defined as beginning with a lead time horizon that represents a time required for a process of providing the ware.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the supply scope for the lead time period is defined such that when the delivery date falls beyond the lead time period the ware is always deemed to be available.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the determination comprises that the quantity of the ware is not available at the delivery date, further comprising:
determining availability of the ware for the request using the supply scope of the next time period; and
if there is availability, generating a confirmation date within the next time period.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the supply scope for a first one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and ordered wares.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first time period is defined as beginning at the beginning time and ending at a start execution horizon.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the start execution horizon is defined based on a conversion from a production request to a production order in the process to provide the ware.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the supply scope for a second one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares, ordered wares and wares requested to be ordered.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the second time period is defined as beginning at the start execution horizon and ending at a release to production and purchasing horizon.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the release to production and purchasing horizon is defined based on a handover from planning in the process to provide the ware.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the supply scope for a third one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares, ordered wares, wares requested to be ordered and planned wares.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the supply scope for the first time period comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a supply scope that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and wares ordered to be produced;
a supply scope that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and wares ordered to be purchased; and
combinations thereof.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
later updating the determination when the delivery date is in another one of the multiple time periods, the updated determination being made using the supply scope of the other one of the multiple time periods.
14. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for making an availability determination regarding a requested ware, the method comprising:
identifying a request to provide a quantity of a ware at a delivery date;
determining, in response to the identification, which one of multiple time periods includes the delivery date, the multiple time periods being at least three and running serially from a beginning time, each of the multiple time periods corresponding to a step in a process to provide the ware and being associated with a different supply scope for determining ware availability; and
determining availability of the ware for the request using the supply scope of the determined time period.
15. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, generate on a display device a graphical user interface for defining multiple time periods for determining availability of a requested ware, the graphical user interface comprising:
at least one input control for user entry of first and second horizons defining at least three time periods running serially from a beginning time, each of the at least three time periods corresponding to a step in a process to provide a ware and being associated with a different supply scope for determining ware availability;
wherein, when a request to provide a quantity of the ware at a delivery date is identified, it is determined which one of the at least three time periods includes the delivery date, and an availability of the ware for the request is determined using the supply scope of the determined time period.
16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein a lead time period of the at least three time periods furthest from the beginning time is defined as beginning with a lead time horizon that represents a time required for a process of providing the ware.
17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the supply scope for a first one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and ordered wares.
18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the supply scope for the first time period comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
a supply scope that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and wares ordered to be produced;
a supply scope that the ware availability is determined against stock wares and wares ordered to be purchased; and
combinations thereof.
19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the supply scope for a second one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares, ordered wares and requested wares.
20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the supply scope for a third one of the multiple time periods comprises that the ware availability is determined against stock wares, ordered wares, requested wares and planned wares.