Author: claimsbot

1. A method of processing athletic data, comprising:
receiving, at a computing device having at least one processor, data specifying a user-defined athletic challenge including a user-defined goal to be achieved, identification of at least two participants in the athletic challenge, and a user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the user-defined duration is defined by at least one of a user-defined start time and user-defined end time of the athletic challenge, wherein the identification of the at least two participants includes a user identifier unique to a first participant, wherein the received data defines the at least two participants as competitors against one another in the athletic challenge, and wherein receiving the data includes:
generating, by the computing device, a first user interface including a plurality of user-selectable challenge types;
receiving, by the computing device, a user selection of one of the user-selectable challenge types; and
overlaying, by the computing device, a second user interface over a portion of the first user interface, wherein the second user interface overlays a graphical element corresponding to the selected challenge type and wherein another portion of the first user interface including at least a non-selected challenge type remains visible when the second user interface is overlaid on the portion of the first user interface;

transmitting, by the computing device, an electronic invitation to participate in the athletic challenge to a first remote device of the first participant after receiving the data specifying the user-defined goal to be achieved, and the user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the electronic invitation is addressed to the first participant using the unique user identifier;
receiving, by the computing device, a response from the first participant accepting the invitation;
remotely monitoring and collecting, by the computing device, athletic performance data of the at least two participants through the duration of the challenge in accordance with the at least one of the user-defined start time and the user-defined end time of the athletic challenge; and
determining, by the computing device, a winner of the athletic challenge upon expiration of the challenge based on the collected performance data.
2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:
analyzing the athletic performance data to obtain analysis results; and
displaying the analysis results with the athletic performance data.
3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the analysis results include a mean or median of values in the athletic performance data.
4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein the analysis results include a mean of speed data values in the athletic performance data.
5. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the analysis results are displayed at intervals along the graph.
6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data includes one or more types of data selected from the group consisting of: time data, speed data, distance data, and caloric data.
7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein
a first type of data included in the athletic performance data is speed data, and
a second type of data included in the athletic performance data is time data.
8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein:
a first type of data included in the athletic performance data is distance data, and
a second type of data included in the athletic performance data is time data.
9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is received over a network.
10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the network is the Internet.
11. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the athletic performance data to a remote storage device through a network.
12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the network is the Internet.
13. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the athletic performance data is generated by one or more measurement devices selected from the group consisting of: a pedometer, a bicycle monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a blood-oxygen content monitor.
14. The method recited in claim 1, wherein remotely monitoring and collecting athletic performance data includes receiving the athletic performance data from one or more electronic devices selected from the group consisting of: a digital music player, a telephone, a watch, a personal digital assistant, a pedometer, a bicycle monitor, a heart rate monitor, and a blood-oxygen content monitor.
15. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a graph of the athletic performance data including rendering the graph incrementally over time.
16. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a graph of the athletic performance data, wherein displaying the graph includes transmitting graphical data for rendering the graph to a remote display device through a network.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data defining the user-generated athletic challenge includes receiving a user-defined name for the athletic challenge.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data defining the user-defined athletic challenge further includes:
generating the second user interface including one or more fields configured to receive user input defining the goal to be achieved and the duration of the athletic challenge; and
generating a third user interface, upon receiving the user input through the second user interface, including one or more fields configured to receive user input specifying the first participant.
19. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor and storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
receive data specifying a user-defined athletic challenge including a user-defined goal to be achieved, identification of at least two participants in the athletic challenge, and a user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the user-defined duration is defined by at least one of a user-defined start time and a user-defined end time of the athletic challenge, wherein the identification of the at least two participants includes a user identifier unique to a first participant, wherein the received data defines the at least two participants as competitors against one another in the athletic challenge, and wherein receiving the data includes:
generating a first user interface including a plurality of user-selectable challenge types;
receiving a user selection of one of the user-selectable challenge types; and
overlaying a second user interface over a portion of the first user interface, wherein the second user interface overlays a graphical element corresponding to the selected challenge type and wherein another portion of the first user interface including at least a non-selected challenge type remains visible when the second user interface is overlaid on the portion of the first user interface;

transmit an electronic invitation to participate in the athletic challenge to a first remote device of the first participant after receiving the data specifying the user-defined goal to be achieved, and the user-defined duration of the challenge, wherein the electronic invitation is addressed to the first participant using the unique user identifier;
receive a response from the first participant accepting the invitation;
remotely monitor and collect performance data for athletic activity performed by each of the at least two participants through the duration of the challenge; and
determine a winner of the athletic challenge upon expiration of the challenge based on the collected performance data.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the duration of the challenge is defined by the user-defined start time and the end time of the challenge.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to transmit performance updates of the first participant to a second participant prior to the end time of the challenge.
22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data defining the athletic challenge includes a user-specified message and wherein the user-specified message is included in the invitation.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the invitation further includes a prompt providing a plurality of options for responding to the invitation.
24. The apparatus of claim 19, the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the apparatus to:
notify a second participant that the first participant has accepted the invitation.
25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein monitoring performance data of the at least two participants includes receiving the performance data from the first remote device through a data network and wherein collecting the performance data includes aggregating data from a plurality of athletic activity sessions of the first participant.
26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the data defining the athletic challenge is received from a second remote device of a second participant and wherein the user identifier is specified by the second participant.
27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second remote devices includes an athletic performance monitoring device configured to detect athletic activity.

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 ink-jet recording sheet comprising a support having thereon at least two porous ink absorptive layers comprising microparticles and a hydrophilic resin,
wherein an uppermost ink absorptive layer has a smaller average void diameter than an ink absorptive layer adjacent to the uppermost ink absorptive layer, and the hydrophilic resin in the uppermost ink absorptive layer is cross-linked by irradiation with ionization radiation.
2. The ink-jet recording sheet of claim 1,
wherein a thickness of the uppermost ink absorptive layer is from 0.03 to 1.00 \u03bcm.
3. The ink-jet recording sheet of claim 1,
wherein the hydrophilic resin in the uppermost ink absorptive layer has a degree of polymerization of not less than 300 and comprises a main chain and a plurality of side chains, and the side chains are cross-linked with each other by irradiation with ultraviolet radiation.
4. The ink-jet recording sheet of claim 1,
wherein an average particle diameter of the microparticles in the uppermost ink absorptive layer is not more than 100 nm, and the microparticles are silica or a polymer.
5. The ink-jet recording sheet of claim 4,
wherein the microparticles in the uppermost ink absorptive layer are colloidal silica.
6. The ink-jet recording sheet of claim 1,
wherein the uppermost ink absorptive layer is produced by a method comprising the steps of:
(a) applying an ink absorptive layer composition comprising the microparticles, hydrophilic resin and a solvent onto the support;
(b) irradiating the applied ink absorptive layer composition with ionization radiation while the applied ink absorptive layer composition is wet; and
(c) drying the irradiated ink absorptive layer composition.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A camera arrangement comprising
A. a camera configured to record an image defined by rays directed thereto; and
B an optical element configured to deflect rays from a scene to the camera for recording thereby, the optical element being further configured to deflect the rays such that, if the rays were undeflected, the rays would instead be tangent to a viewing device of predetermined shape.
2. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the viewing device is in the shape of a curve.
3. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which the curve is a closed continuous curve.
4. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 3 in which the closed continuous curve is a circle
5. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the viewing device is in the shape of a polygon.
6. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the optical element is in the form of a curved mirror.
7. A camera arrangement as defined in claim 1 in which the optical element is in the form of a lens.

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 process for cutting sections from a probe for microscopic analysis by using an ultramicrotome device having a blade with a cutting edge, the cutting edge in a non-vibrated position extending at least approximately in a first direction, the process comprising the steps of:
vibrating the blade in the first direction;
vibrating the probe;
between successive cuts, effecting relative movement between the probe and the blade in a second direction in a stepwise manner, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; and
during each cut, effecting relative movement between the probe and the blade in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, whereby the probe is cut in sections.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the probe is cut in sections having a thickness of about 10 to about 100 nm.
3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the blade is vibrated with a maximum amplitude of about 1 \u03bcm.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ultramicrotome device includes a block holding the blade, wherein the process further comprises the step of applying force to the block.
5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the probe is vibrated in the third direction.
6. The process according to claim 5, wherein the blade is vibrated in a first frequency and the probe is vibrated in a second frequency, the second frequency being about twice the first frequency.
7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the probe is vibrated at least approximately parallel to the first direction.
8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the probe and the blade are vibrated, such that when the blade reaches its reversal points, the probe is still moving and vice versa.
9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the probe and the blade are vibrated at the same frequency, but in a different phase.
10. The process according to claim 7, wherein, during each cut, relative movement between the vibrating probe and the vibrating blade in the third direction is effected with a substantially constant cutting speed over a distance larger than a cross-sectional dimension of the probe in the third direction.
11. The process according to claim 5, wherein the probe is vibrated with an amplitude bo of vibration with
bo\u2267vc2\u03c9,

wherein \u03c9 is the frequency in radians per second of the vibration of the blade and vc is the cutting speed in the third direction.
12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the blade is vibrated with an amplitude ao of vibration with
ao\u226710 vc\u03c9,

wherein \u03c9 is the frequency in radians per second of the vibration of the blade and vc is the cutting speed in the third direction.
13. The process according to claim 1, wherein a diamond blade is used.
14. The process according to claim 1, wherein during each cut, relative movement between the vibrating probe and the vibrating blade in the third direction is effected with a substantially constant cutting speed.
15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the blade is vibrated in the first direction with a frequency above about 15 kHz.