All The Claims

1. An automatic weight and measures computing device comprising:
a storage unit for storing a plurality of operational formulas, each operational formula being composed of at least two parameters and at least one logical operator;
an input device comprising:
a set of number buttons for inputting at least one number;
a set of symbol buttons for inputting at least one logical operator;
a set of selection buttons for selecting an operational formula; and
a confirmation button for confirming input data;

a display unit comprising:
a value display area for displaying values; and
a formula display area for displaying the selected operational formula; and
a control unit for executing a mathematical operational formula;
wherein the automatic weight and measures computing device is characterized in that the input unit inputs values corresponding to parameters according to the selected operational formula, and then the control unit provides an operational result according to the selected operational formula and the input values and displays the operational result in the value display area.
2. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit is connected to a measuring unit for receiving the value measured by the measuring unit.
3. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a graphical display area for displaying a target object corresponding to the operational formula.
4. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the formula display area is used for displaying definitions of the parameters of the operational formula.
5. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the formula display area, a confirmed input parameter is underlined.
6. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit has an error detection means, and after the error detection means verifies all of the input values corresponding to the operational formula, the control unit then calculates an operational result according to the operational formula and the input values.
7. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises a mode switching button for switching into a formula mode for the operational formula selected by the selection buttons.
8. The automatic weight and measures computing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises a unit transformation button for converting the values into different values corresponding to a unit used in the operational formula.
9. An automatic weight and measures computing method comprising the steps of:
(A) receiving an input signal of a selected operational formula;
(B) receiving at least two parameters and at least one logical operator defined by the operational formula;
(C) displaying the operational formula;
(D) receiving input signals corresponding to values for the parameters;
(E) determining a result according to the operational formula and the input values; and
(F) displaying the result.
10. The automatic weight and measures computing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein step (A) further comprises: receiving an input signal of a selected graphic, the graphic corresponding to an operational formula.
11. The automatic weight and measures computing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in step (D), the input signals of the values are measurement values provided by a measuring device.
12. The automatic weight and measures computing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein step (E) further comprises: determining a result according to the operational formula and the input values.
13. The automatic weight and measures computing method as claimed in claim 9, wherein confirmed input parameters are underlined.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A memory system comprising:
a memory controller coupled to a bus;
a memory module comprising N memory devices coupled to the bus, each one of the N memory devices operable to receive data from the bus during a write operation and to transmit data onto the bus during a read operation;
wherein the memory controller comprises:
a tracking circuit operable to track a number of memory device operations in M of the N memory devices during a period of time, where M is less than or equal to N; and
a control circuit operable to manipulate operation of the memory system in response to a comparison of the number of memory operations and a reference.
2. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the tracking circuit comprises at least one counter.
3. The memory system of claim 2, wherein the at least one counter comprises:
a first counter incremented by each read operation during the period of time; and
a second counter incremented by each write operation during the period of time.
4. The memory system of claim 3, wherein the at least one counter comprises a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) buffer.
5. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the reference comprises power value data relating a number of memory device operations with an estimated operating temperature for the M memory devices.
6. The memory system of claim 5, wherein the power value data is stored in the memory controller.
7. The memory system of claim 5, wherein the power value data is stored in one or more register on the N memory devices.
8. The memory system of claim 5, wherein the memory module further comprises a data storage element storing the power value data for the M memory devices.
9. The memory system of claim 5, wherein the memory controller further comprises:
a delay circuit operable to select a first delay between successive read operations to the M memory devices and to select a second delay between successive write operations to the M memory devices on the basis of a control circuit comparison indicating that the number of memory operations exceeds the reference.
10. The memory system of claim 5, wherein each of the N memory devices is operable in first and second modes of operation, wherein each of the N memory devices consumes less power in the second mode of operation as compared with the first mode of operation; and
wherein the memory controller is operable to select between the first and second modes of operation for each one of the M memory devices on the basis of the control circuit comparison.
11. A method of regulating the operating temperature of memory devices in a memory system comprising; a memory controller and a memory module comprising a plurality of memory devices, the method comprising:
determining a number of operations involving one or more memory devices on the memory module during a time period;
comparing the number of operations to reference data corresponding to an estimated operating temperature the one or more memory devices;
determining whether to manipulate the operation of the memory system on the basis of the comparison between the number of operations and the reference data.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of operations comprises at least one of a number of read operations involving the one or more memory devices, a number of write operations involving the one or more memory devices, and a number of refresh operations involving the one or more memory device.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
upon determining to manipulate the operation of the memory system, introducing delays between successive read operations and successive write operations to the one or memory devices.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
upon determining to manipulate the operation of the memory system, placing the one or more memory devices in a mode of operation requiring less power.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
upon determining to manipulate the operation of the memory system, increasing the refresh rate for the one or more memory device.
16. A memory system comprising:
a memory controller coupled to a bus;
a memory module comprising N memory devices coupled to the bus, each one of the N memory devices having a maximum operating temperature;
at least one temperature sensor measuring an actual operating temperature for M of the N memory devices, where M is less than or equal to N; and
a circuit periodically refreshing data in the M memory devices at a first rate when the actual operating temperature is below the maximum operating temperature, and at a second rate, higher than the first rate, when the actual operating temperature is above the maximum operating temperature.
17. The memory system of claim 16, wherein the at least one temperature sensor generates temperature data communicated to the memory controller via the bus.
18. The memory system of claim 16, wherein the at least one temperature sensor generates temperature data, and wherein the memory system further comprises a signal line outside the bus connecting the at least one temperature sensor and the memory controller, such that the temperature data is communicated to the memory controller via the signal line.
19. The memory system of claim 18, wherein the temperature data comprises a digital flag and wherein the memory controller further comprises a data register connected to the signal line and storing a value associated with the digital flag.
20. The memory system of claim 16 wherein the memory module further comprises a heat spreader, and wherein at least one temperature sensor is associated with either each one of the M memory devices, or a thermocouple between each one of the M memory devices and the heat spreader.
21. A memory system comprising:
a memory module comprising N memory devices coupled to a bus, each one of the N memory devices being operable in at least a first power mode and a second power mode, and having a maximum threshold temperature;
at least one temperature sensors measuring actual operating temperature for a group M of the N memory devices, where M is less than or equal to N;
a memory controller coupled to the bus, the memory controller selecting the first power mode for each memory device in the group M having an actual operating temperature below the maximum threshold temperature, and selecting the second power mode for each memory device in the group M having an actual operating temperature above the maximum threshold temperature;
wherein each one of the N memory device consumes less power in the second power mode than in the first power mode.
22. The memory system of claim 21, wherein the at least one temperature sensor generates temperature data communicated to the memory controller via the bus.
23. The memory system of claim 21, wherein the at least one temperature sensor generates temperature data, and wherein the memory system further comprises a signal line outside the bus connecting the at least one temperature sensor and the memory controller, such that the temperature data is communicated to the memory controller via the signal line.
24. The memory system of claim 23, wherein the temperature data comprises a digital flag and wherein the memory controller further comprises a data register connected to the signal line and storing a value associated with the digital flag.
25. A method of regulating the operating temperature of memory devices in a memory system comprising a memory controller and a memory module comprising N memory devices, the method comprising:
storing power value data indicative of a maximum threshold temperature for at least one of the N memory devices in a data storage element associated with the memory module;
tracking a number of memory system operations involving M of the N memory devices during a time period, where M is less than or equal to N and where the number of operations is indicative of an estimated operating temperature for the M memory devices;
comparing the number of memory system operations to the power value data; and
upon determining based on the comparison of the number of memory system operations to the power value data that the estimated operating temperature for the M memory devices is greater than the maximum threshold temperature, manipulating the operation of the memory system to reduce the operating temperature of the M memory devices.
26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:
reading the power value data from the data storage element during memory system initialization.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the data storage element is a serial presence detect device.

1. An apparatus for stitching an interior component, comprising:
a first drive device;
an awl bar assembly coupled to the first drive device, the awl bar assembly having an awl configured to be moved from a withdrawn position to an inserted position with the first drive device;
a second drive device operably coupled to the first drive device;
a needle bar assembly having a needle, the needle movable between an inserted and a withdrawn position, the needle bar assembly being pivotally coupled to the second drive device; and
a biasing member coupled to the needle bar assembly, the biasing member being arranged to pivot and align the needle bar assembly in response to the needle being moved to the withdrawn position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 where both first and second drives are contained within the same sewing assembly, which is transported along a stitch path from first position to second position via an external drive device such as a robot or other automated means of transport.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first drive device is configured to move the awl from the withdrawn position to the inserted position at a first time.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second drive device is configured to move the needle from the withdrawn to the extended at a second time, the second time being different than the first time.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a thread tensioner arm adjacent the awl.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a walking foot adjacent the awl.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the interior component is an interior trim piece of a vehicle.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interior trim piece is a portion of an instrument panel of the vehicle.
9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first drive device and the second drive device are operably coupled by a belt.
10. An apparatus for stitching an interior component, comprising:
a first drive device;
an awl coupled the first drive device and sized to form an opening in the interior component, the awl configured to be moved from a first position to a second position with an external drive device such as a robot or other automated means of transport;
a thread tensioner arm coupled to the first drive device adjacent the awl;
a second drive device operably coupled to the first drive device;
a needle bar assembly having a needle, the needle movable between an inserted and a withdrawn position, the needle bar assembly being pivotally coupled to the second drive device, the needle bar assembly configured to be moved from the first position to the second position independent from the awl; and
a biasing member coupled to the needle bar assembly, the biasing member being arranged to pivot the needle bar assembly into alignment with the opening formed by the awl at the second position, the biasing member pivoting the needle bar assembly in response to the needle being moved to the withdrawn position.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the external drive device is configured to move the awl from the first position to the second position at a first time.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the biasing member coupled to the needle bar assembly is configured to move the needle from the first position to the second position at a second time, the second time being different than the first time.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a walking foot adjacent the awl.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the interior component is an interior trim piece of a vehicle.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the interior trim piece is a portion of an instrument panel of the vehicle.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first drive device and the second drive device are operably coupled by a belt.
17. A method of stitching an interior component, comprising:
forming a first hole with an awl, the awl coupled to a first drive device;
inserting a needle into the first hole, the needle coupled to a needle bar assembly, the needle bar assembly being pivotally coupled to a biasing member;
moving the needle bar assembly at a first time from a first position to a second position with an external drive device such as a robot or other automated means of transport while the needle is in the first hole;
moving the awl at a second time to the second position with the external drive device, the second time being different from the first time;
forming a second hole at the second position with the awl via the first drive device;
moving the needle from the first hole to a withdrawn position via a second drive device; and
pivoting the needle bar assembly when the needle is removed from the first hole to align the needle with the second hole via the biasing member.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the needle bar assembly is moving toward the second position as the needle moves towards the withdrawn position.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the awl forms the second hole as the needle bar assembly pivots to align the needle with the second hole.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:
inserting the needle into the second hole; and
moving the awl to a retracted position while the needle is inserted into the second hole.

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, comprising:
determining, at a computing device that includes one or more processors and that is associated with a user, a participation rating for each of a plurality of participants in a real-time visual communication session, wherein the participation rating is based on one or more conversation properties related to the real-time visual communication session and relevant to a desirability for displaying image data associated with a participant for each of the plurality of participants, and wherein the participation rating for each particular participant is determined independently of (i) other users’ participation ratings for the particular participant, and (ii) a manual input of the user during the real-time visual communication session;
selecting, at the computing device, two or more participants from the plurality of participants based on the participation rating of each of the two or more participants; and
providing, for display, image data associated with the two or more selected participants on a display device of the computing device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
updating the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants throughout the real-time visual communication session; and
selecting the two or more participants based on the updated participation rating for each of the plurality of participants.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
replacing the image data associated with one of the selected participants with image data associated with a newly selected participant when a participation rating for the newly selected participant exceeds a participation rating for the one of the selected participants.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of participants includes an organizer of the video conference, and
wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants further comprises determining the participation rating for the organizer such that the organizer is selected as one of the two or more selected participants.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants further comprises:
increasing the participation rating for a participant when one of the one or more conversation properties for the participant indicates the participant is more actively participating in the real-time visual communication session; and
decreasing the participation rating for the participant when one of the one or more conversation properties for the participant indicates the participant is less actively participating in the real-time visual communication session.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversation properties comprise a duration a participant has been speaking since the participant began speaking.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants further comprises determining a ratio of the duration the participant has spoken and a total duration of the real-time visual communication session.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversation properties comprises at least one of an indication that a participant is currently speaking and an indication of a selection of a participant by a user of the computing device.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversation properties comprise a duration since a participant last spoke, and wherein the participation rating for the participant decreases correspondingly with the duration since the participant last spoke.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversation properties comprise a relationship of a participant associated with a user of the computing device.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversation properties comprise a quality of image data, and wherein selecting the two or more participants further comprises removing a participant from consideration of selection when a quality of image data associated with the participant is below a threshold quality level.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting an identifier associated with a participant of the plurality of participants; and
responsive to detecting the identifier, selecting the participant as one of the two or more selected participants.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the participation rating for each of a plurality of participants is further based on determining a weighted average of the one or more conversation properties.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying image data associated with a participant who is currently speaking in a graphical location of the display device designated for a current speaker, unless the participant who is currently speaking is one of the two or more selected participants.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the two or more participants further comprises removing a participant from consideration for selection when the participant is a user of the computing device.
16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying image data associated with a conference resource on the display device of the computing device.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein displaying the image data associated with the conference resource further comprises displaying the conference resource in a central graphical location of the display device, wherein the image data associated with the two or more selected participants is displayed approximately around the image data associated with the conference resource.
18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a number of the one or more selected participants based on properties of the computing device.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time visual communication session is a video conference; and
wherein image data comprises one or more of a still image, a video, a document, and a visual presentation.
20. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a participation rating for each of a plurality of participants in a real-time visual communication session, wherein the participation rating is based on one or more conversation properties related to the real-time visual communication session and relevant to a desirability for displaying image data associated with a participant for each of the plurality of participants, wherein the participation ratings are associated with a user and wherein the participation rating for each particular participant is determined independently of (i) other users’ participation ratings for the particular participant, and (ii) a manual input of the user during the real-time visual communication session;
selecting two or more participants based on the participation rating of each of the two or more participants; and
displaying image data associated with the two or more selected participants on a display device of a computing device associated with the user.
21. A computing device, comprising:
one or more processors;
a network interface to connect to a real-time visual communication session having a plurality of participants;
an output device that displays image data; and
a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
determining a participation rating for each of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session, wherein the participation rating is based on one or more conversation properties related to the real-time visual communication session and relevant to a desirability for displaying image data associated with a participant for each of the plurality of participants, wherein the participation ratings are associated with a user and wherein the participation rating for each particular participant is determined independently of (i) other users’ participation ratings for the particular participant, and (ii) a manual input of the user during the real-time visual communication session,
selecting two or more participants based on the participation rating of each of the two or more participants, and
displaying image data associated with the two or more selected participants on the output device.
22. A method, comprising:
determining, at a computing device that includes one or more processors and that is associated with a user, a participation rating for each of a plurality of participants in a real-time visual communication session, wherein the participation rating is based on one or more conversation properties related to the real-time visual communication session and relevant to a desirability for displaying image data associated with a participant for each of the plurality of participants, and wherein the participation rating for each particular participant is determined independently of (i) other users’ participation ratings for the particular participant, and (ii) a manual input of the user during the real-time visual communication session;
selecting, at the computing device, one or more participants from the plurality of participants based on the participation rating of each of the one or more participants; and
providing, for display, image data associated with the one or more selected participants on a display device of the computing device.
23. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on one or more conversation properties includes determining the participation rating for each particular participant of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on input from the user to block or view the particular participant during a previous real-time visual communication session.
24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on one or more conversation properties includes determining the participation rating for each particular participant of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on input from the user to block or view the particular participant during a previous real-time visual communication session.
25. The computing device of claim 21, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on one or more conversation properties includes determining the participation rating for each particular participant of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on input from the user to block or view the particular participant during a previous real-time visual communication session.
26. The method of claim 22, wherein determining the participation rating for each of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on one or more conversation properties includes determining the participation rating for each particular participant of the plurality of participants in the real-time visual communication session based on input from the user to block or view the particular participant during a previous real-time visual communication session.