All The Claims

1. A resource sharing apparatus, for enabling at least one peripheral apparatus to be shared by a plurality of personal computers, the resource sharing apparatus comprising:
an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), comprising:
a plurality of hubs, each of the hubs having a host port (B port), and a plurality of peripheral ports (A port), wherein the hubs are one-to-one coupled to the personal computers via the host ports;
a plurality of device controllers, coupled to the peripheral ports, wherein the device controllers are one-to-one coupled to the hubs for stimulating the peripheral apparatus;
a bus, coupled to the device controllers;
a host controller, coupled to the bus, for stimulating peripheral apparatus related functions of an operation system (OS) or a basis inputoutput operation system (BIOS) in the personal computers, and communicating with the device controllers via the bus;
a root hub, comprising a host port and a plurality of peripheral ports, wherein the host port of the root hub is coupled to the host controller, and the peripheral apparatus is coupled to one of the peripheral ports of the root hub; and

a central processing unit, coupled to the bus for controlling the operation of the ASIC.
2. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hubs, the device controllers, and the host controller have interfaces of universal serial bus specifications.
3. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral apparatus comprises a printer.
4. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral apparatus comprises a keyboard.
5. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the peripheral apparatus comprises a mouse.
6. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resource sharing apparatus is used for enabling a first peripheral apparatus and a second peripheral apparatus to be shared by a plurality of personal computers, the first peripheral apparatus is coupled to one of the peripheral ports of the root hub, and the resource sharing apparatus comprises:
a first switch, coupled to one of the peripheral ports of each hub; and
a second switch, coupled to the first switch, the root hub, and the second peripheral apparatus, wherein the second peripheral apparatus is coupled to the root hub or one of the hubs by the first switch and the second switch according to a controlling signal from the central processing unit.
7. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hubs, the device controllers, and the host controller have interfaces of universal serial bus specifications.
8. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first peripheral apparatus is a keyboard, and the second peripheral apparatus is a mouse.
9. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resource sharing apparatus is used for enabling a first peripheral apparatus and a second peripheral apparatus to be shared by a plurality of personal computers, the first peripheral apparatus is coupled to one of the peripheral ports of the root hub, and the resource sharing apparatus comprises:
a switch, coupled to the second peripheral apparatus and one of the peripheral ports of each hub, wherein the second peripheral apparatus is coupled to one of the hubs by the switch according to a controlling signal from the central processing unit.
10. The resource sharing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the hubs, the device controllers, and the host controller have interfaces of universal serial bus specifications.

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 position calculating method comprising:
determining a positioning satellite used for position calculation on the basis of at least reliability of satellite orbits in a prediction target period corresponding to a position calculation point, the reliability of satellite orbits being set in long-term predicted orbit data in which satellite orbits of positioning satellites and reliability of the satellite orbits are associated for each prediction target period; and
calculating a position on the basis of a positioning signal received from the determined positioning satellite.
2. The position calculating method according to claim 1, further comprising extracting a predetermined number of positioning satellites in order from one having highest reliability of a satellite orbit and determining a satellite used for the position calculation.
3. The position calculating method according to claim 1, further comprising deciding positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit in the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point, wherein
the determining includes determining, taking into account reliability of a satellite orbit in a prediction target period before or after the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point, whether the positioning satellites having equivalent reliability of the satellite orbit should be used for the position calculation.
4. The position calculating method according to claim 1, further comprising:
deciding a reception environment for the positioning signal; and
determining a satellite used for the position calculation on the basis of the decided reception environment.
5. The position calculating method according to claim 4, further comprising:
variably setting, according to the decided reception environment, at least a determination target period including the prediction target period corresponding to the position calculation point in the prediction target period included in the long-term predicted orbit data; and
determining a satellite used for the position calculation on the basis of reliability in the determination target period.
6. A position calculating device comprising:
a determining unit that determines a positioning satellite used for position calculation on the basis of at least reliability of satellite orbits in a prediction target period corresponding to a position calculation point, the reliability of satellite orbits being set in long-term predicted orbit data in which satellite orbits of positioning satellites and reliability of the satellite orbits are associated for each prediction target period; and
a position calculating unit that calculates a position on the basis of a positioning signal received from the determined positioning satellite.

1. A roof window comprising a window frame having an inner surface, a sash frame, and a covering, each of the window frame and the sash frame including a top frame member, a horizontally-extending bottom frame member and two lateral frame members, said roof window comprising drainage grooves, characterized in that a first drainage groove is formed in the window frame, and a second drainage groove is formed in the sash frame, wherein the window frame has an inner surface adjacent to the sash frame, wherein the sash frame has an outer surface adjacent to the window frame, wherein the first drainage groove has a concave surface extending along the inner surface of the window frame and formed with a flange protruding from the inner surface of the window frame, wherein the second drainage groove has a concave surface extending along the outer surface of the sash frame, and includes a flange protruding from the outer surface of the sash frame, wherein the first drainage groove formed in the inner surface of the window frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the window frame, while the second drainage groove formed in the outer surface of the sash frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the sash frame, and wherein the complex drainage channel for the window frame comprises the first drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the window frame, while the complex drainage channel for the sash frame comprises the second drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the sash frame, wherein the flange of the second drainage groove in the lateral frame members of the sash is spaced horizontally from the inner surface of the window frame, and wherein the complex drainage channel for the window sash has a drainage exit.
2. A roof window according to claim 1, further comprising a top surface on the window frame flange and a bottom surface on the sash frame flange, a first sealing surface on the top surface of the window frame flange, and a second sealing surface on the bottom surface of the sash frame flange, with a sealing element sandwiched between the first and second sealing surfaces, wherein the drainage groove of the window frame is located correspondingly underneath the drainage groove of the sash frame, with the first sealing surface facing the second sealing surface, so that water overflowing from the sash frame drainage groove goes into the window frame drainage groove.
3. A roof window according to claim 1, wherein the first drainage groove has a surface in each of the lateral frame members of the window frame, wherein the first drainage groove has a surface in the top frame member of the window frame, wherein the second drainage groove has a surface in each of the lateral frame members of the sash frame, the flange of the sash frame has a top surface, a cross section of the second drainage groove surface in each of the lateral frame members of the sash frame comprises a portion of the outer surface of the sash frame and a portion of the top surface of the flange of the sash frame, wherein the cross section of the second drainage groove surface of the top frame member of the sash frame comprises a portion of the outer wall surface of the sash frame and a portion of the top surface of the flange of the sash frame, wherein the top surface of the flange of the sash frame is flat, wherein the bottom frame member of the window frame has an inner surface provided with a separate reservoir for receiving rain, dew and condensate, wherein the separate reservoir has a flat bottom surface ending with a flange formed with the inner surface of the bottom frame member of the window frame, wherein the top surface of the flange formed with the inner surface defines a sealing surface facing a corresponding sealing surface defined on the bottom frame member of the sash frame, with a sealing element sandwiched between the sealing surfaces, and wherein the separate reservoir ends with the flanges of the drainage grooves of the lateral frame members of the window frame.
4. A roof window according to claim 3, wherein the top surface of the flange of the sash frame is inwardly inclined down.
5. A roof window comprising a window frame having an inner surface, a sash frame, and a covering, each of the window frame and the sash frame including a top frame member, a bottom frame member and two lateral frame members, said roof window comprising drainage grooves, characterized in that a first drainage groove is formed in the window frame, and a second drainage groove is formed in the sash frame, wherein the window frame has an inner surface adjacent to the sash frame, wherein the sash frame has an outer surface adjacent to the window frame, wherein the first drainage groove has a concave surface extending along the inner surface of the window frame and formed with a flange protruding from the inner surface of the window frame, wherein the second drainage groove has a concave surface extending along the outer surface of the sash frame, and includes a flange protruding from the outer surface of the sash frame, wherein the first drainage groove formed in the inner surface of the window frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the window frame, while the second drainage groove formed in the outer surface of the sash frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the sash frame, and wherein the complex drainage channel for the window frame comprises the first drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the window frame, while the complex drainage channel for the sash frame comprises the second drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the sash frame, wherein the bottom frame member of the sash frame has a top surface, a horizontal drainage groove is positioned on the top surface of the bottom frame member of the sash frame and communicates with exits placed at both ends of the lateral frame members of the sash frame, wherein a portion of the covering is a bottom frame covering, a mounting groove is formed in the bottom frame member of the window frame, with an end of the bottom frame covering positioned in said mounting groove, whereby drainage water from the window frame can be discharged from the covering, wherein the drainage groove of the lateral frame members of the sash frame extends to the top surface of the bottom frame member of the sash frame, from which the drainage water can be discharged.
6. A roof window comprising a window frame having an inner surface, a sash frame, and a covering, each of the window frame and the sash frame including a top frame member, a bottom frame member and two lateral frame members, said roof window comprising drainage grooves, characterized in that a first drainage groove is formed in the window frame, and a second drainage groove is formed in the sash frame, wherein the window frame has an inner surface adjacent to the sash frame, wherein the sash frame has an outer surface adjacent to the window frame, wherein the first drainage groove has a concave surface extending alone the inner surface of the window frame and formed with a flange protruding from the inner surface of the window frame, wherein the second drainage groove has a concave surface extending along the outer surface of the sash frame, and includes a flange protruding from the outer surface of the sash frame, wherein the first drainage groove formed in the inner surface of the window frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the window frame, while the second drainage groove formed in the outer surface of the sash frame constitutes a complex drainage channel for the sash frame, and wherein the complex drainage channel for the window frame comprises the first drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the window frame, while the complex drainage channel for the sash frame comprises the second drainage groove formed with the lateral and bottom members of the sash frame wherein the bottom frame member of the sash frame has a top surface, wherein the first drainage groove formed in the window frame has a lower end portion having a width which is reduced as the position for measuring the width approaches the bottom member of the window frame, wherein the second drainage groove has lower end portions on the lateral frame members of the sash frame, wherein the lower end portions have a curvature upwardly towards the top surface of the bottom frame member of the sash frame, and wherein the lower end portions of the second drainage groove have a width which is reduced as the position for measuring the width approaches the bottom member of the window frame.

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 host node for automatically mixing audio signals in a predetermined manner comprising:
a network interface enabling a network coupling between the host node and a client node;
means for receiving from the client node over the network a recorded voice message having a first length;
a database containing a plurality of background sounds;
means for receiving from the client node over the network a selection indication of a background sound selected from the plurality of background sounds, the background sound having a second length, said second length being longer than said first length;
means for lowering the level of a portion of the background sound, the lowered portion having a length that is substantially the same as the first length;
means for interleaving the recorded voice message and the lowered portion of the background sound; and
means for adjusting the length of the background sound to the first length plus a third length.
2. The host node of claim 1, further comprising:
means for receiving a back punctuating sound having a fourth length shorter than the third length; and
means for interleaving the back punctuating sound and the background sound such that an end of the adjusted length background sound occurs within the fourth length of the back punctuating sound.
3. The host node of claim 2, wherein the end of the adjusted length background sound coincides with an end of the back punctuating sound.
4. The host node of claim 1, further comprising:
means for receiving a front punctuating sound having a fifth length shorter than the third length; and
means for interleaving the front punctuating sound and the background sound such that a start of the reduced length background sound occurs within the fifth length of the front punctuating sound.
5. The host node of claim 4, wherein the start of the adjusted length background sound coincides with a start of the front punctuating sound.
6. The host node of claim 1, wherein lowering the level of the background sound includes lowering the level to approximately 10-18 dB below the level of the recorded voice message.
7. The host node of claim 1, wherein reducing the length of the background sound includes lowering the level of the background sound over a time interval.
8. The host node of claim 1, further comprising:
means for receiving a back punctuating sound having a fourth length shorter than the third length;
means for receiving a front punctuating sound having a fifth length shorter than the third length; means for interleaving the back punctuating sound and the background sound such that an end of the adjusted length background sound occurs within the fourth length of the back punctuating sound; and
means for interleaving the front punctuating sound and the background sound such that a start of the reduced length background sound occurs within the fifth length of the front punctuating sound.
9. The host node of claim 8, wherein the end of the adjusted length background sound coincides with an end of the back punctuating sound, and the start of the adjusted length background sound coincides with a start of the front punctuating sound.
10. A client node for automatically mixing audio signals in a predetermined manner comprising:
a network interface enabling a network coupling between the client node and a host node;
means for recording a voice message;
means for sending from the client node over the network to the host node the recorded voice message having a first length;
means for selecting from a database containing a plurality of background sounds residing at the host node a background sound;
means for sending from the client node over the network to the host node a selection indication of a background sound selected from the plurality of background sounds, the background sound having a second length, said second length being longer than said first length; and
means for receiving from the host a mixed media message where: the level of a portion of the background sound is lowered by the host, the lowered portion having a length that is substantially the same as the first length; the recorded voice message and the lowered portion of the background sound are interleaved; and the length of the background sound is adjusted to the first length plus a third length.
11. The client node of claim 10, wherein the host is further adapted to receive a back punctuating sound having a fourth length shorter than the third length, and interleave the back punctuating sound and the background sound such that an end of the adjusted length background sound occurs within the fourth length of the back punctuating sound.
12. The client node of claim 11, wherein the end of the adjusted length background sound coincides with an end of the back punctuating sound.
13. The client node of claim 10, wherein the host is further adapted to receive a front punctuating sound having a fifth length shorter than the third length, and interleave the front punctuating sound and the background sound such that a start of the reduced length background sound occurs within the fifth length of the front punctuating sound.
14. The client node of claim 13, wherein the start of the adjusted length background sound coincides with a start of the front punctuating sound.
15. The client node of claim 10, wherein lowering the level of the background sound includes lowering the level to approximately 10-18 dB below the level of the recorded voice message.
16. The client node of claim 10, wherein reducing the length of the background sound includes lowering the level of the background sound over a time interval.
17. The client node of claim 10, wherein the host is further adapted to receive a back punctuating sound having a fourth length shorter than the third length, receive a front punctuating sound having a fifth length shorter than the third length, interleave the back punctuating sound and the background sound such that an end of the adjusted length background sound occurs within the fourth length of the back punctuating sound, and interleave the front punctuating sound and the background sound such that a start of the reduced length background sound occurs within the fifth length of the front punctuating sound.
18. The client node of claim 17, wherein the end of the adjusted length background sound coincides with an end of the back punctuating sound, and the start of the adjusted length background sound coincides with a start of the front punctuating sound.