Author: claimsbot

1. A method for arranging content selections within a custom TV channel according to a content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel comprising:
receiving a request for an order position in a playlist of the custom TV channel for a content selection, wherein the playlist includes a list of previously selected content selections and an order for playing the previously selected content selections, and wherein the content selections within the custom TV channel include recorded content and streamed broadcasts; and
determining, by a processor, the order position for the content selection in the playlist based on the content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel such that:
responsive to a channel having sub-units, selecting a sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the selected sub-unit; and
determining the order position in the playlist of the sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the sub-unit; and

wherein the order position identifies a position in the order of the playlist for playing the content selection.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes a genre associated with the custom TV channel.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes chronology with respect to another criteria.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the other criteria is order of being recorded.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the other criteria is order of being played.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein the other criteria is order of being broadcast on either broadcast television or the Internet.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein content ordering criteria includes chronology of a series of content selections.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes clustered chronology criteria of clustering content selections of a same series together in the playlist and placing them in chronological order.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes source of content criteria.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes a viewer’s typical viewing order of types of content selections.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes whether the content selection has been played or not.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes viewer ratings.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes ratings for age appropriateness used by a television industry.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes a time to live parameter associated with the selection as a basis for ordering a content selection in a playlist.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the content ordering criteria includes relative order of being most recently downloaded as a basis for ordering a content selection in a playlist.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
searching contents provided by content providers based on the content ordering criteria to select the content selections for the custom TV channel.
17. A system for arranging content selections within a custom TV channel according to a content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel, the system comprising:
a memory storing a custom channel model storage module including a selection of channels including a custom TV channel and an ordered playlist for the custom TV channel, wherein the playlist includes a list of previously selected content selections and an order for playing the previously selected content selections, and wherein the content selections within the custom TV channel include recorded content and streamed broadcasts;
a channel content ordering criteria storage module including content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel;
a content arrangement module having access to the custom channel model storage module and the channel content ordering criteria storage module which arranges content selections within the ordered playlist of the custom TV channel according to the content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel, the content arrangement module to determine an order position for the content selection in the playlist based on that channel’s content ordering criteria by selecting a sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the selected sub-unit responsive to a channel having sub-units and determining the order position in the playlist of the sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the sub-unit; and
a processor for executing one or more modules stored in the memory.
18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:
a personalized viewing profile storage module including a viewing order pattern for content selections of a genre type being accessible to the content arrangement module as a content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel.
19. The system of claim 17 further comprising:
a personalized viewing profile storage module including viewer ratings of one or more content selections being accessible to the content arrangement module as a content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel.
20. The system of claim 17 wherein the custom channel model storage module, the ordered playlist for the custom TV channel includes a playlist order for sub-units of the channel, and a playlist order for the selections within each sub-unit.
21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:
a content selection module to search contents provided by content providers based on the content ordering criteria to select the content selections for the custom TV channel.
22. A non-transitory computer usable medium comprising instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for arranging content selections within a custom TV channel according to a content ordering criteria for the custom TV channel, the method comprising:
receiving a request for an order position in a playlist of the custom TV channel for a content selection, wherein the playlist includes a list of previously selected content selections and an order for playing the previously selected content selections, and wherein the content selections within the custom TV channel include recorded content and streamed broadcasts; and
determining the order position for the content selection in the playlist based on that channel’s content ordering criteria such that:
responsive to a channel having sub-units, selecting a sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the selected sub-unit; and
determining the order position in the playlist of the sub-unit for the content selection based on the content ordering criteria for the sub-unit; and

wherein the order position identifies a position in the order of the playlist for playing the content selection.
23. The non-transitory computer usable medium of claim 22, wherein the streamed broadcasts are live and not recorded.
24. The non-transitory computer usable medium of claim 22, further comprising:
searching contents provided by content providers based on the content ordering criteria to select the content selections for the custom TV channel.

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 plastic preform suitable for forming a bottle, comprising:
a neck portion adapted to engage a closure and including a support ring at its lowermost point, the neck portion having a first wall thickness; and
an elongated body portion including a generally cylindrical wall portion and an end cap;
wherein an upper segment of the body portion adjacent to the support ring has a second wall thickness substantially similar to the first wall thickness and less than a third wall thickness in a lower segment of the body portion.
2. The plastic preform of claim 1, wherein the second wall thickness is about 10% to about 40% of the third wall thickness.
3. The plastic preform of claim 1, wherein the second wall thickness is about 25% to about 30% of the third wall thickness.
4. The plastic preform of claim 1, wherein the second wall thickness is about 0.7 mm to about 0.8 mm.
5. The plastic preform of claim 1, wherein an axial length of the upper segment is about 25% or more of an axial length of the neck portion.
6. The plastic preform of claim 1, wherein an axial length of the upper segment is about 25% to about 35% of an axial length of the neck portion.
7. A plastic preform, comprising:
a neck portion including a support ring, wherein the neck portion has a first wall thickness; and
a body portion including an elongated cylindrical wall having upper, middle and lower segments, wherein the middle segment has a second wall thickness and the lower segment of the body portion includes an end cap;
wherein the upper segment of the body portion has a wall thickness substantially similar to the first wall thickness and less than the second wall thickness wherein the axial length of the upper segment is about 25% or more of the axial length of the neck portion.
8. The plastic preform of claim 7, wherein the upper segment wall thickness is about 10% to about 40% of the second wall thickness.
9. The plastic preform of claim 7, wherein the upper segment wall thickness is about 25% to about 30% of the second wall thickness.
10. The plastic preform of claim 7, wherein the upper segment wall thickness is about 0.7 mm to about 0.8 mm.
11. The plastic preform of claim 7, wherein an axial length of the upper segment is about 25% to about 35% of an axial length of the neck portion.
12. A bottle or container made from a preform according to claim 1.
13. A bottle or container made from a preform according to claim 7.

1. A method for detecting functional areas in retinal images comprising:
illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength;
illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength;
simultaneously recording the resultant reflectance of the stimulated hemifield of the retina and the non stimulated hemifield of the retina in the non-stimulating wavelength region; and
determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength.
2. The method for detecting functional areas in retinal images of claim 1 wherein
illuminating the hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield of the retina at about 530 nm.
3. The method for detecting functional areas in retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the entire retina in the near infrared region of the spectrum.
4. The method for detecting functional areas in retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the entire retina at about 700 nm.
5. The method for detecting functional areas in retinal images of claim 1 wherein
determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye and applying principal components analysis to the resulting reflectance differences to determine functional areas of the retina.
6. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye and applying a fast-ICA algorithm to the resulting images to determine functional areas of the retina.
7. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye and applying an extended spatial decorrelation algorithm to the resulting images to determine functional areas of the retina.
8. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield with a variable pattern in the stimulating wavelength.
9. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield for variable lengths of time in the stimulating wavelength.
10. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating a superior hemifield of a retina.
11. The method for detecting functional areas of retinal images of claim 1 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating an inferior hemifield of a retina.
12. A method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation comprising:
illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength;
illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength;
simultaneously recording the resultant reflectance of the stimulated hemifield of the retina and the non stimulated hemifield of the retina in the non-stimulating wavelength region; and
determining retinal hemoglobin saturation based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength.
13. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation according to claim 12 wherein:
illuminating the hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield of the retina at about 530 nm.
14. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the entire retina in the near infrared region of the spectrum.
15. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein illuminating the entire retina at a non-stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the entire retina at about 700 nm.
16. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein:
determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye; and applying principal components analysis to the resulting reflectance differences to determine functional areas of the retina.
17. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein determining functional areas of the retina based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye and applying a fast-ICA algorithm to the resulting images to determine functional areas of the retina.
18. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein determining retinal hemoglobin saturation based upon reflectance differences in the stimulated and non-stimulated hemifields in the non-stimulating wavelength comprises repeating the method to obtain multiple images of the same eye and applying an extended spatial decorrelation algorithm to the resulting images to determine hemoglobin saturation.
19. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield with a variable pattern in the stimulating wavelength.
20. The method for determining retinal hemoglobin saturation before and after stimulation of claim 12 wherein illuminating a hemifield of the retina using a stimulating wavelength comprises illuminating the hemifield for variable lengths of time in the stimulating wavelength.

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 providing network communication in a transit environment including one or more passenger vehicles, the method comprising:
receiving a wireless communication at a wireless access point on a passenger vehicle traveling on a defined path;
reformatting the wireless communication into a wireline communication; and
transmitting the wireline communication onto a path-based communication line that is adjacent to or on the defined path, wherein the wireline communication is transmitted to a network connection point that couples the path-based communication line to a metropolitan network, and wherein the network connection point is operable to transmit the communication onto the metropolitan network.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising reformatting the wireline communication from a wireline protocol into a transit environment protocol.
3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the transit environment protocol is a variation of a broadband over power line (BPL) protocol.
4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein reformatting the wireline communication into the transit environment protocol comprises encapsulating the wireline communication in one or more transit environment protocol data fields.
5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:
reformatting the transit environment protocol formatted communication into a metropolitan network protocol formatted communication; and
transmitting the metropolitan network protocol formatted communication on the metropolitan network.
6. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising removing the one or more transit environment protocol data fields from the transit environment protocol formatted message.
7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the metropolitan network protocol is selected from a group consisting of SONET and Ethernet.
8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless access point comprises a device that supports an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication standard.
9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a passenger train car traveling on a train track that defines the path.
10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein transmitting the wireline communication via the path-based communication line comprises transmitting the wireline communication via a path-based communication line selected from a group consisting of:
one or more guide rails of the train track;
a power rail of the train track;
an overhead power line.
11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein transmitting the wireline communication onto the path-based communication line comprises transmitting the wireline communication via an electrical conductor coupled to the path-based communication line.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the electrical conductor is selected from a group consisting of a dedicated metallic structure, one or more wheels of the train car, and an overhead power line.
13. A system for providing communication between a metropolitan network and communication devices onboard a vehicle in a transit environment, wherein the vehicle follows a defined path within the transit environment, the system comprising:
a communication line configured to carry electrical communications to and from the vehicle, the communication line being on or adjacent to the defined path;
a first transceiver onboard the vehicle configured to receive communications sent from a computing device onboard the vehicle and transmit the communications on the communication line; and
a second transceiver coupled to the communication and a metropolitan network, the transceiver configured to receive communications transmitted over the communication line and transmit the communications on the metropolitan network.
14. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a first media converter coupled to the first transceiver and configured to convert the communications from a first format used onboard the vehicle to a second format used on the communication line.
15. The system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a second media converter coupled to the second transceiver and configured to convert the communications from the second format to a third format used on the metropolitan network.
16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the computing devices onboard the vehicle are wirelessly enabled, the system further comprising a wireless access point onboard the vehicle, the wireless access point coupled to the first transceiver and configured to communicate wirelessly with the computing device.
17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the wireless access point is further configured to convert wireless communications from the computing device from a wireless format to a wireline format prior to transmitting the communications to the first transceiver, and further configured to convert wireline communications from the first transceiver to the wireless format prior to transmitting the communications to the computing device.
18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the vehicle is a passenger train car, the defined path is a train track, and the communication line is selected from a group consisting of one or more guide rails of the train track, a power rail, and an overhead power line.
19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the second format is a transit-specific format.
20. A system for providing communications to and from computing devices communicating with a wireless format in a transit environment, the system comprising:
means for receiving wireless communications from a computing device onboard a vehicle traveling a defined path in the transit environment;
means for converting the wireless communications into a wireline format;
means for transmitting wireline formatted communications to a communication line on or adjacent to the defined path;
means for receiving the wireline communications, converting the communications to a format supported by a metropolitan network, and transmitting the communications on the metropolitan network.