Author: claimsbot

1. A galley at the rear of an aircraft comprising:
a plurality of cart storage compartments for storing mobile service carts wherein said storage compartments are arranged in a U-shaped configuration; and
a first countertop member that is U-shaped and attached to said plurality of cart storage compartments.
2. The galley of claim 1 further comprising an island including a plurality of cart storage compartments and a second countertop member that is attached to said island of cart storage compartments.
3. The galley of claim 2 wherein a generally U-shaped pathway is defined between said U-shaped configuration of storage compartments and said island of storage compartments.
4. The galley of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of mobile service carts wherein each mobile service cart is stored within a cart storage compartment wherein there are the same number of cart storage compartments and mobile service carts.
5. The galley of claim 4 wherein said U-shaped configuration includes:
a first set of cart storage compartments positioned adjacent to a first interior sidewall of the aircraft;
a second set of cart storage compartments positioned adjacent to a second interior sidewall of the aircraft;
a third set of cart storage compartments positioned adjacent to a back interior wall of the aircraft;
a fourth set of cart storage compartments positioned on an angle between said first set of cart storage compartments and said third set of cart storage compartments; and
a fifth set of cart storage compartments positioned on an angle between said second set of cart storage compartments and said third set of cart storage compartments.
6. The galley of claim 5 wherein said island includes a sixth set of cart storage compartments positioned between said first set and said second set of cart storage compartments.
7. The galley of claim 6 wherein there are 14-18 storage compartments and carts within said U-shaped configuration.
8. The galley of claim 7 wherein there are 2-4 storage compartments and carts within said island.
9. The galley of claim 8 wherein said island of storage compartments is attached to a floor of the aircraft.
10. The galley of claim 9 wherein a second pathway is defined between island of storage compartments and a bulkhead.
11. The galley of claim 9 wherein said island of storage compartments is removably attached to the floor of the aircraft.
12. The galley of claim 8 wherein said island of storage compartments is attached to a bulkhead in the aircraft.
13. A passenger aircraft having at least 190 passenger seats and comprising no more than three galleys of cart storage compartments.
14. The passenger aircraft of claim 13 including a first galley of cart storage compartments is positioned adjacent the front of the aircraft and a second galley of cart storage compartments is positioned adjacent the rear of the aircraft.
15. The passenger aircraft of claim 14 wherein said second galley includes a plurality of cart storage compartments for storing mobile service carts, wherein said plurality of cart storage compartments are positioned in a U-shaped arrangement.
16. The passenger aircraft of claim 15 wherein said second galley further includes an island of storage cart compartments for storing mobile service carts.
17. The passenger aircraft of claim 16 wherein a generally U-shaped pathway is defined between said U-shaped arrangement of storage cart compartments and said island of cart storage compartments.
18. The passenger aircraft of claim 17 wherein a second pathway is defined between said island of storage compartments and a bulkhead.
19. A passenger aircraft comprising:
a front galley including at least two mobile service cart storage compartments; and
a rear galley including at least 14 mobile service cart storage compartments arranged in a U-shaped configuration and an island configuration, and a U-shaped pathway defined between said U-shaped configuration and said island configuration.
20. The passenger aircraft of claim 19 wherein said U-shaped configuration of storage compartments includes:
a first set of compartments positioned adjacent to a first interior sidewall;
a second set of compartments positioned adjacent to a second interior sidewall;
a third set of compartments positioned adjacent to an interior back wall;
a fourth set of compartments positioned on an angle between said first set of compartments and said third set of compartments; and
a fifth set of storage compartments positioned on an angle between said second set of compartments and said third set of compartments.
21. The passenger aircraft of claim 20 wherein said island configuration includes a sixth set of storage compartments.
22. The passenger aircraft of claim 21 wherein:
there are four storage compartments in said first set of compartments;
there are four storage compartments in said second set of compartments;
there are four storage compartments in said third set of compartments;
there are two storage compartments in said fourth set of compartments;
there are two storage compartments in said fifth set of compartments; and
there are three storage compartments in said sixth set of compartments.
23. The passenger aircraft of claim 22 further comprising a first countertop member that is U-shaped and attached to said U-shaped configuration of storage compartments and a second countertop member that is attached to said island configuration of storage compartments.
24. The passenger aircraft of claim 23 wherein said island of storage compartments is moveable between a first position fixed against a bulkhead in the aircraft and a second position removed from the bulkhead in the aircraft.
25. The passenger aircraft of claim 23 wherein said island of storage compartments is permanently attached to a floor of the aircraft.

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 for controlling a vehicle transmission using a torque estimate, comprising:
automatically controlling at least one transmission component during a shift event based on a first torque estimate defined in terms of one nonlinear function of a transmission parameter for a particular value of the transmission parameter; and
modifying the first torque estimate outside of a shift event based on a measured torque of the transmission at the particular value of the transmission parameter.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter is defined using a plurality of other nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the other nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter include a function partially defining an estimate of an impeller torque for a torque converter for the transmission and a function defining a torque ratio across the torque converter.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first torque estimate is an estimate of a turbine torque for the torque converter.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmission parameter is a ratio of a speed of a turbine to a speed of the impeller.
6. The method of claim 2, further comprising inputting into the other nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter a plurality of chosen values of the transmission parameter, thereby generating a plurality of values of the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter at the chosen values of the transmission parameter.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing a first torque estimate for a particular value of a transmission parameter includes using one of the chosen values of the transmission parameter for the particular value of the transmission parameter.
8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
measuring a torque of the transmission at a plurality of chosen values of the transmission parameter;
defining the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter in terms of a torque estimate; and
using the measured torque at the chosen values of the transmission parameter as the torque estimate, thereby generating a plurality of values of the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter at the chosen values of the transmission parameter.
9. A method for controlling a vehicle transmission using a torque estimate, comprising:
automatically controlling at least one transmission component based on a first torque estimate for a particular value of a transmission parameter, the first torque estimate based on one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter which combines a plurality of nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising measuring a torque of the transmission at the particular value of the transmission parameter and modifying the first torque estimate based on the measured torque.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein measuring a torque of the transmission at the particular value of the transmission parameter and modifying the first torque estimate based on the measured torque occur outside a shift event of the transmission.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first torque estimate is an estimate of a turbine torque for a torque converter of the transmission, and the transmission parameter is a ratio of a speed of the turbine to a speed of an impeller for the torque converter.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein the nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter include a function partially defining an estimate of an impeller torque for a torque converter for the transmission and a function defining a torque ratio across the torque converter.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising inputting into the nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter a plurality of chosen values of the transmission parameter to generate a plurality of values of the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter at the chosen values of the transmission parameter.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the first torque estimate for a particular value of the transmission parameter includes using the generated values of the one nonlinear function to determine the value of the first torque estimate at the particular value of the transmission parameter.
16. A control system for a vehicle transmission, comprising:
a controller configured to:
output a first torque estimate defined in terms of one nonlinear function of a transmission parameter for a particular value of the transmission parameter;
receive a measured torque of the transmission at the particular value of the transmission parameter; and
output a modified torque estimate for the particular value of the transmission parameter based on the measured torque.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one nonlinear function of the transmission parameter is defined using a plurality of other nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the other nonlinear functions of the transmission parameter include a function partially defining an estimate of an impeller torque for a torque converter for the transmission and a function defining a torque ratio across the torque converter.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first torque estimate is an estimate of a turbine torque for the torque converter, and the transmission parameter is a ratio of a speed of the turbine to a speed of the impeller.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to modify the first torque estimate only using data from outside a shift event of the transmission.

1. A first radio communication apparatus configured for short range wireless radio communication with a second radio communication apparatus, the first radio communication apparatus comprising:
first input means for receiving a user input that configures the first radio communication apparatus to broadcast an inquiry signal, wherein a unique identification for the second radio communication apparatus is not specified in the inquiry signal from the first radio communication apparatus:
receiving means for receiving predetermined information from the second radio communication apparatus, wherein the predetermined information is sent in response to user input to the second radio communication apparatus; and
communicating means for communicating, using short range wireless radio, with the second radio communication apparatus based on the predetermined information.
2. A short range wireless communications method for a first radio communication apparatus configured for communicating with a second radio communication apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a user input that configures the first radio communication apparatus to broadcast an inquiry signal, wherein a unique identification for the second radio communication apparatus is not specified in the inquiry signal from the first radio communication apparatus;
receiving predetermined information from the second radio communication apparatus, wherein the predetermined information is sent in response to user input to the second radio communication apparatus; and
communicating, using short range wireless radio, with the second radio communication apparatus based on the predetermined 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 article of open-toe footwear comprising:
a sole member having an upper and lower surface region extending a particular two dimensional length and width substantially corresponding to the plantar surface of a user’s foot, wherein the sole member includes a plurality of recesses extending transversely through the sole member between the upper and lower surface regions at independent locations; and
a retaining system releasably coupled to the sole member via the plurality of recesses, wherein the retaining system comprises:
a strap member configured to extend from the sole member over the dorsal surface of the user’s foot between the plurality of recesses; and
a plurality of coupler members configured to releasably engage the strap member to the sole member at each of the corresponding recesses across which the strap member extends, wherein the releasable engagement between the strap member and the plurality of coupler members includes a chocking of the coupler member against the sole member with respect to the strap member.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recesses includes three recesses, one of which is disposed distal of the metatarsal region and two of which are disposed proximal of the metatarsal region.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the recesses disposed distal of the metatarsal region is disposed at a location on the sole member which corresponds to be between the user’s medial big toe and second toe.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the strap member extends over the metatarsal dorsal region of the user’s foot.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the strap member further includes end regions which releasably engage with the plurality of coupler members within the plurality of recesses.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the end regions of the strap members include female threaded regions, and wherein the coupler members include corresponding shaped male threaded regions.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the coupler members include a keyed female geometric region lengthwise oriented transverse to the lower surface of the sole member and disposed on the coupler member so as to be externally accessible in an engaged state with the strap member.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the retaining system further includes a tool member shaped to correspond to the keyed female geometric region on the coupler members, wherein the correspondence between the tool member and keyed female geometric region enables rotation of the coupler member with respect to the strap member via rotation of the tool member engaged within the keyed female geometric region, and wherein the tool member is slidably disposed within the sole member parallel to and between the upper and lower surface regions.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the keyed female geometric region on the coupler members corresponds to the dimensions of a US quarter, wherein the correspondence between a United States quarter and the keyed female geometric region enables rotation of the coupler member with respect to the strap member via rotation of a United States quarter engaged within the keyed female geometric region.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupler members include a lower portion that is configured to be substantially flush with the lower surface of the sole member in an engaged state.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of recesses include a smaller diameter upper region disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the sole member and a larger diameter lower region disposed adjacent to the lower surface of the sole member, and wherein the diameter of the lower portion of the coupler members is larger than the diameter of the smaller diameter upper region of the plurality of recesses to facilitate the chocking of the strap member against the sole member in an engaged state.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the chocking of the coupler member against the sole member includes a sandwich coupling of the coupler member, sole member, and strap member respectively.
13. An article of open-toe footwear comprising:
a sole member having an upper and lower surface region extending a particular two dimensional length and width substantially corresponding to the plantar surface of a user’s foot, wherein the sole member includes three recesses extending transversely through the sole member between the upper and lower surface regions at independent locations; and
a retaining system releasably coupled to the sole member via the three recesses, wherein the retaining system comprises:
a strap member configured to extend from the sole member over the dorsal surface of the user’s foot between the three recesses;
three coupler members configured to releasably engage the strap member to the sole member at each of the corresponding recesses across which the strap member extends, wherein the releasable engagement between the strap member and the coupler members includes a chocking of the coupler member against the sole member with respect to the strap member; and wherein the coupler members include a lower portion that is configured to be substantially flush with the lower surface of the sole member in an engaged state, and wherein the three recesses include a smaller diameter upper region disposed adjacent to the upper surface of the sole member and a larger diameter lower region disposed adjacent to the lower surface of the sole member, and wherein the diameter of the lower portion of the coupler members is larger than the diameter of the smaller diameter upper region of the three recesses to facilitate the chocking of the strap member against the sole member in an engaged state.
14. A method for releasably engaging a retaining system to a sole member thereby forming an article of open-toe footwear comprising the acts of:
providing a sole member having an upper and lower surface region, wherein the sole member includes a plurality of recesses extending transversely through the sole member between the upper and lower surface regions at independent locations;
positioning a strap member to extend from the upper surface region of the sole member over the dorsal region of a user’s foot between the plurality of recesses; and
releasably engaging the strap member to the sole member at the plurality of recesses across which the strap member extends.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of positioning a strap member to extend from the upper surface region of the sole member over the dorsal region of a user’s foot between the plurality of recesses further includes extending end regions of the strap member into the plurality of recesses, and wherein the act of engaging the strap member to the sole member at the plurality of recesses across which the strap member extends further includes releasably coupling a coupling member to each of the end regions through the corresponding recess so as to sandwich couple the end regions to the sole member.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of releasably engaging the strap member to the sole member at the plurality of recesses across which the strap member extends further includes threadably coupling a male upper portion of each coupler member to a female portion within each end region of the strap member.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of threadably coupling a male upper portion of each coupler member to a female portion within each end region of the strap member further includes engaging an independent tool into a geometrically keyed region on a lower surface of the coupler member to effectuate rotational torque upon the coupler member with respect to the sole member and strap member.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of engaging an independent tool into a geometrically keyed region on a lower surface of the coupler member to effectuate rotational torque upon the coupler member with respect to the sole member and strap member further includes slidably removing the independent tool from a cavity between the upper and lower surface region of the sole member.
19. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of threadably coupling a male upper portion of each coupler member to a female portion within each end region of the strap member further includes enclosing each coupling member within each recess.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of releasably engaging the strap member to the sole member at the plurality of recesses across which the strap member extends further includes chocking a lower portion of the coupling member against a smaller diameter upper region of the recess such that the lower portion of the coupling member is enclosed within the recess.