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A system and method for presenting chat group sessions at wireless mobile terminals is disclosed. The system includes plural wireless mobile terminals, each having a display screen. Each mobile terminal is capable of displaying a chat conversation that is updated in near real-time so that messages in the conversation progressively scroll on the screen. In addition, at least one of the mobile terminals is configured to present a text edit area on a portion of it screen while showing the chat conversation on another portion of the screen. A text editor resident in the mobile terminal permits a user to compose a message in the text edit area while simultaneously viewing the chat conversation as it progresses. The message can be a response to the conversation currently being displayed.
1. A method of presenting a chat session on the display of a hand-held chat-enabled wireless mobile unit, comprising:
providing a user-operable switch on the hand-held wireless mobile unit for allowing a user to selectively operate the hand-held wireless mobile unit in either a first display mode or a second display mode;
in response to user activation of the first display mode via the user-operable switch, operating the hand-held wireless mobile unit in the first display mode where the display presents a chat conversation without presenting a text edit area for a user to enter and edit chat messages, the displayed chat conversation being progressively updated in real-time so that chat messages included in the conversation scroll on the display; and
in response to user activation of the second display mode via the user-operable switch, activating a text edit function and operating the hand-held wireless mobile unit in the second display mode where the display presents the text edit area on a portion of the display previously occupied by the displayed chat conversation while simultaneously continuing to present the chat conversation on reduced portion of the display, the text edit function allowing the user to compose one or more chat messages in the text edit area while the displayed chat conversation progresses.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
in response to a user-activated transition from the second display mode to the first display mode via the user-operable switch, removing the text edit area and expanding the chat conversation to reoccupy the removed text edit area of the display.
5. A hand-held chat-enabled wireless mobile unit, comprising:
a display screen;
a user-operable switch for allowing a user to selectively operate the hand-held wireless mobile unit in either a first display mode or a second display mode;
means, responsive to the user-operable switch, for operating the hand-held wireless mobile unit in the first display mode where the display screen presents a chat conversation without presenting a text edit area for a user to enter and edit chat messages, the displayed chat conversation being progressively updated in real-time so that chat messages included in the conversation scroll on the display; and
means, responsive to the user-operable switch, for activating a text edit function and operating the hand-held wireless mobile unit in the second display mode where the display screen presents the text edit area on a portion of the display previously occupied by the displayed chat conversation while simultaneously continuing to present the chat conversation on reduced portion of the display, the text edit function allowing the user to compose one or more chat messages in the text edit area while the displayed chat conversation progresses.
6. The wireless mobile unit of
7. The wireless mobile unit of
8. The wireless mobile unit of
means for removing the text edit area from the display and expanding the chat conversation on the display to reoccupy the removed text edit area in response to a user-activated transition from the second display mode to the first display mode via the user-operable switch.
9. A system for chat-room messaging between a plurality of hand-held chat-enabled wireless mobile terminals operating on one or more wireless carrier networks, comprising:
the plurality of hand-held wireless mobile terminals, each including a display screen,
a user-operable switch for allowing a user to selectively operate the hand-held wireless mobile terminal in either a first display mode or a second display mode,
a chat application, responsive to the user-operable switch, including
first software code for operating the hand-held wireless mobile terminal in the first display mode where the display screen presents a chat conversation without presenting a text edit area for a user to enter and edit chat messages, the displayed chat conversation being progressively updated in real-time so that chat messages included in the conversation scroll on the display, and
second software code for activating a text edit function and operating the hand-held wireless mobile terminal in the second display mode where the display screen presents the text edit area on a portion of the display previously occupied by the displayed chat conversation while simultaneously continuing to present the chat conversation on reduced portion of the display, the text edit function allowing the user to compose one or more chat messages in the text edit area while the displayed chat conversation progresses; and
a server, in communication with the hand-held wireless mobile terminals, for permitting chat conversations between the hand-held wireless mobile terminals.
10. The system of
11. The system of
12. The system of
third software code responsive to a user-activated transition from the second display mode to the first display mode via the user-operable switch, for removing the text edit area from the display and expanding the chat conversation on the display to reoccupy the removed text edit area.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/245,918 filed on Sep. 18, 2002 and entitled "Voice and Text Group Chat Techniques for Wireless Mobile Terminals", which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/197,022 filed on Jul. 17, 2002 and entitled "Voice and Text Group Chat Display Management Techniques for Wireless Mobile Terminals". The subject matter of the aforementioned applications is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates generally to wireless communication systems incorporating speech and textual input and output modalities and, in particular, to an improved technique for textually presenting real-time conversations (e.g., chat threads) on the displays of mobile units.
Text and, to a lesser degree, speech chatting systems, are generally known in the art, particularly in relation to personal computing systems. Published U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2001/0042095 A1; 2001/0011293 A1; and 2002/0023128 A1 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,212,548 and 6,286,034 illustrate exemplary system and user interfaces used today. A common feature of such systems is that the various conversations (or threads) are usually split out into distinct regions (or windows) on the display or screen. Furthermore, when a single thread comprises a plurality of both text and speech exchanges, such systems usually separate the two modalities. The speech is usually played over a speaker, whereas the plurality of text messages are displayed on the screen. Users have no means to reference old speech messages or distinguish when they occurred in the thread relative to other messages in that thread.
Published U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0023128 A1 ("the '128 Publication") describes a system where the screen area is split into six distinct windows. One window presents a chat history of one thread (the thread in focus) while another window displays a chat history of the combined plurality of the remaining threads. A chat history comprises a plurality of entries displayed on the screen that describe both inbound (i.e., received by the user's mobile terminal) and outbound (i.e., sent by the user's mobile terminal) chat messages. The entries are usually displayed on the screen in chronological order and usually only describe text messages.
Although the above described chat systems fulfill the needs of some chat group users, they focus primarily on large screens such as those found on personal computers. Viewable regions on the screen are dedicated to particular functionality. Such interfaces are not well suited for devices where the display area is small. On small screen devices, such as mobile devices, dedicating a region exclusively for text entry or other transient functionality consumes precious screen area. Such schemes do not allow the device to take full advantage of available screen display area when transient functionality (e.g., editing a new message.) is not in use.
Common practices on mobile device today usually transition the user through a series of screens. For example, when it is time to edit a message, the conventional practice on limited screen devices is to move the user from a chat history screen that occupies the entire content display region of the screen to a text editing screen, which also occupies the content display region of the screen. Such schemes do not allow a user to view a chat history as it progresses in real time while the user composes a message. When there is an incoming message, the user must move back to the history screen to see if the message currently being composed is still relevant given the context of messages received. A user interface that addresses such issues greatly enhances the desirability and convenience of participating in a chat session. Therefore, there is a need to provide a wireless chat messaging system that has an improved user interface at the mobile units, which permits the simultaneous display of chat threads and composition and/or editing of response messages on demand, taking into account limitations of mobile devices.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide improved methods and systems for managing both single-modal (i.e., either voice or text) and multi-modal (i.e., combined voice and text) wireless chat services.
It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal interface that allows a user to view a chat session as it progresses in real-time, while at the same time allowing the user to compose a message in response to the chat messages currently being viewed.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a wireless system permits chat-based communications between mobile terminals. Each of the mobile terminals includes a display screen capable of presenting chat message text, a graphical user interface, and other information. At least some of the terminals execute a chat client application that provides chat services over wireless carrier networks. Mobile terminals running the chat client are capable of displaying a chat conversation that is updated in or near real-time so that messages in the conversation progressively scroll on the screen. In addition, the chat client allows a mobile terminal to present a text edit area on a portion of its screen while concurrently showing the chat conversation on another portion of the screen. A text editor resident in the mobile terminal permits a user to compose a message in the text edit area while simultaneously viewing the chat conversation as it progresses. The composed message can be a response to the conversation currently being displayed. Once the act of composing and sending the message is complete, the chat client allows the mobile terminal to remove the text edit area and expand the chat history area to occupy the freed screen area.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims
The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The present invention may be more fully described with reference to
When the server complex 204 communicates with one or more mobile terminals, the server complex 204 sends its data to the network 203 that, in turn, forwards the data onto at least one of the carrier infrastructures 202. Each relevant carrier infrastructure 202 then transmits the data to one or more of its corresponding mobile terminals 100. Preferably, when a plurality of users chat together (i.e., send chat messages from one terminal 100 to another), data comprising text, speech, and/or graphical messages (or some combination thereof) are sent to the server complex 204. The server complex 204 then sends copies of the message out to the targeted terminals 100, preferably including, in one embodiment, the initiating or sending terminal.
The server complex 204 can be placed inside a wireless carrier's infrastructure 202, or that it may be eliminated in cases where direct terminal-to-terminal transfer is supported. In the latter case, substantially all of the chat messaging functionality is supported by the mobile terminals. Furthermore, the present invention would benefit systems other than packet data based systems, as well as systems that are limited in scope to a single wireless carrier's domain.
In the preferred embodiment, at least one chat server complex 204 resides outside the carrier's domain. As such, it is able to services a plurality of mobile terminals 100 that can be associated with a plurality of wireless carriers. In effect, the systems disclosed herein are independent of the wireless operators. They do not require any special hardware or software to be placed within the operator wireless network 202. The wireless operator's network (in conjunction with a public network 203) acts as a communication pipe between the mobile terminal 100 and the server complex 204. Preferably, standard packet data transfer protocols are used to transmit and route data messages back and forth between the mobile terminal 100 and the server complex 204, such as the Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and World Wide Web protocols, such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The server complex 204 acts as a gateway between the various transfer protocols. Each of the plurality of mobile terminals 100 establishes a connection with the chat server complex 204 using a suitable transfer protocol. Messages flow from the mobile terminal 100 into the server complex 204 over at least one protocol. The server complex 204 copies the message's content and broadcasts it to other intended recipient mobile terminals 100 using the appropriate transfer protocol suitable for each of the targeted mobile terminals 100.
Focusing on components of the server complex 204, the data traffic comprising encoded speech and text messages (e.g., outbound chat messages 400; see
Although not illustrated in
In the preferred embodiment, each of the plurality of wireless operators may deploy different wireless data technology in the wireless carrier network 202, such as Global System for Mobile Communication's (GSM) General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Code-Division Multiple Access's (CDMA) Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1�RTT). In this respect, the systems disclosed herein do not depend on the data wireless technology employed.
In the preferred embodiment, the voice codec 307 used on the plurality of mobile terminals 100 is native to the terminals. The voice codec 307 native to the mobile terminal 100 is optimized for both the terminal's processing strategy and the wireless technologies used. In order for the system to be independent of the underlying wireless technology, the system uses commercially-available media scheme gateways (not shown). The media gateways transcode speech samples from one encoding to another. In operation, the message broadcaster 303 establishes the type of encoding used on the incoming message. It determines the type of encoding required for the each of the plurality of target mobile terminals 100. For each copy of the message, the message broadcaster 303 uses at least one media gateway to transcode the speech to a coding scheme appropriate of the target recipient. Techniques for detecting the type of encoding used by the incoming message and or required by the target terminals, as well as interfacing to media gateways are known in the art. Exception processing in cases where the media gateway is unable to fulfill a conversion can also be performed by the system. For example, a message may be sent back to the sender informing the sender that the message was not delivered to the target recipient because the system does not support the required transcoding techniques.
In addition, the system can be configured to optimize transcoding. For example, the message broadcaster 303 can reuse the same transcoding for all messages targeting mobile terminals 100 that require the same encoding. In addition, the message broadcaster 303 can avoid transcoding the speech if it detects that the message cannot be otherwise delivered to a target. Other optimization techniques can be employed as well.
In the preferred embodiment, the plurality of mobile terminals 100 are grouped and allocated among a plurality of chat server complexes 204. As such, each server complex 204 services a set of homogeneous mobile terminals 100 requiring the same speech encoding. Multiple server complexes 204 may use the same encoding. When a message reaches the message broadcaster 303 of one of the chat server complexes 204, the broadcaster forwards at least a copy of the message to another server complex 204 managing the connection with a subset of the intended recipients of the message. The message forwarded is transcoded by a media gateway in route between the two server complexes 204. The system benefits from using a common encoding for transferring the speech sample between the various server complexes 204. In particular, the message that is received by a server complex 204, is transcoded into the common encoding before it is forwarded to the plurality of other target server complexes 204 (only one transcoding is required in this case). Upon arrival of the message into each of the plurality of target server complexes 204, the message is converted into the encoding that is suitable for the target mobile terminal 100. Only one encoding at the end server complex is needed since all the terminals serviced by the complex use the same encoding. Messages not forwarded outside the server complex 204 need no transcoding since all the mobile terminals serviced by the complex use the same encoding. In this arrangement, simpler media gateways may be deployed between the complexes 204 because the gateways only need to transcode content between the common encoding and the encoding used by the mobile terminals 100 serviced by the complex 204. Also, detection of the type of transcoding required is inherent in the routing of messages i.e., structure and distribution of mobile terminals and does not required actual resolution based on any encoding information itself. It is done based only on the target address of the mobile terminal, which is resolved in all cases to route and direct messages. For example, instead of using multiple server complexes 204, a single server complex 204 can be subdivided where a plurality of message broadcasters 303 are used in the same spirit as distributed server complexes 204. The invention is not limited to any particular arrangement of server complexes. Alternative arrangements can be employed for the server complexes.
Preferably, a nickname manager 304 resides in the server complex 204 and is responsible for managing lists of nickname sets 802–803 used by the receiver of an inbound chat message 500 to override public nicknames and short names. Note that nicknames and short names differ primarily in their length. Nicknames may be of any arbitrary length (possibly limited as a matter of design choice), whereas short names are preferably fixed in length or size. Additionally, nicknames and short names are instances of display identifiers used to identify the originators of chat messages. Such display identifiers are distinguished from identifiers used internally by the system to identify particular users (e.g., identifiers having reference numerals 701, 403, and 604 in the accompanying FIGS.). It should also be noted that short names might differ from nicknames in format or type. The system may use graphical, symbolic or other suitable forms of short names that are compact and fixed in dimension while using textual forms for nicknames. The system may vary the graphics and symbols based on context, user preferences, presentation themes and personalities.
The message broadcaster 303, upon receiving the outbound chat message 400, first compiles a list of target recipients comprising the sender's identifier (i.e., the first recipient identifier in the recipient identifier list 403) and the plurality of other recipient identifiers (i.e., the recipient identifiers in the identifier list 403 other than the sender's identifier). For each target, the message broadcaster 303, determines the status 702 of the target by locating the target's identifier in a presence record 700 with the matching identifier 701. For each available target (i.e., where the presence record indicates that the recipient can receive the message type 401), the broadcast manager 303, composes an inbound chat message 500. The message broadcaster 304 queries the nickname manager 304 to find the receiver's local nickname set 802–803 for the other recipients (i.e., the identifiers comprising the original list of targets without the receiver's identifier.) If no information is found (i.e., the receiver did not build a nickname record 800 for the particular recipient), the message broadcaster 304 queries the presence manager 302 for the recipient's public nickname information 704–705. The message broadcaster 303 extracts the receiver's address 703 from the presence manager 302 and sends the inbound message 500 to the receiver's terminal 100 via the router 301. Those having ordinary skill in the art will doubtlessly recognize that means to optimize the creation and broadcasting of messages, such as using common compression and encoding techniques may be employed, and that other information may be included in the inbound chat message 500, such as sequence numbers, timestamps, and so on.
When a participant's presence status 702 changes, the message broadcaster 303, sends a buddy list update message 600 to other users subscribed to the participant's presence status 702.
The presence manager 302 may send buddy list update messages 600 to the terminal 100 upon receiving a refresh request from the terminal 100. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize other reasons to send buddy list updates (e.g., initial connection,) as well as optimizations in the form of encoding the contents, sending incremental updates instead of the entire list, and so on.
In another embodiment, parts (or all) of the functionality of the message broadcaster 303 and the nickname manger 304 can reside on the terminal 100. In that case, the terminal 100 communicates with the server complex 204 when it exchanges presence information. Chat communication messages are broadcast from one terminal 100 to the plurality of other terminals 100 in a point-to-point fashion.
In the middle region of the display is a content region 903. In the case of the buddy list display, the software preferably places a multi-selection list in the content region 903, which list has a plurality of entries each representing a buddy that was received by the terminal 100 from the server complex 204 in a buddy list update message 600 and stored in the temporary storage 309. Each entry can be highlighted 908 by the user. Highlighting and navigating list entries are implemented using common techniques in the art. Each entry in the list comprises a selection indictor 906 that indicates whether the user has selected the particular buddy for chatting (i.e., sending a chat communication message), the buddy's presence indicator 911, the buddy's nickname 802 or 704, and/or the buddy's short name indicator 907. Note that symbols other than text could serve the same function as the short name indicator 907 for the short name information 705 or 803 as indicated previously. For example, icons or other graphical elements could be used so long as they sufficiently differentiate buddies from one another. Further still, a combination of such graphical elements and text could be used if sufficient screen space is available.
On the bottom of the screen 102 is a softkey label region 202. Preferably, there is a minimum of two labels 909–910. The number of labels depends on the actual number of softkeys 104 available on the terminal 100. As shown, the left softkey label 910 is "select" while the right softkey label 909 is "write" if there is at least one selected entry in the buddy list. Otherwise, the right softkey label 909 is labeled "chat". If the user activates the left softkey with a single click (referred to onward as "single-clicking"), the highlighted entry 908 is selected (or deselected if it was already selected,) and consequently its selection indicator 906 changes to reflect the new state. If the user presses and holds (referred to onward as "click-holding") the left softkey, the software presents the user with a plurality of options such as the option to deselect or select the entire list; switch to other displays (e.g., chat history display described in
If no buddies are selected, the right softkey label is "chat". Single-clicking or click-holding the right softkey in this context switches the user to chat history display described in more detail with reference to
Preferably, where the system supports presence profiles that are coupled to recipient users or groups, then as the user highlights the plurality of buddy entries 908, the user's presence indicator 904 and nickname 704 in the title bar 901 will vary to indicate the presence information of that particular buddy (or group of buddies). Also, it should be noted that if the information in the highlighted entry 908 is too long, the software can scroll the information, expand it, or use other techniques common to the art to present all the information to the user.
It is understood that there are other means to order lists (by date, events, and so on), and that other annotations could be added to the entries. For example, an indicator that there are messages that have not been read/heard available from the individual or group may be used.
A common problem in the art of chatting is the representation of successful delivery. A preferred approach to giving notice of delivery is to send an outbound message 400 back (as an echo inbound message 500) to the sender's mobile unit communicate to the sender that the message has been reliably delivered to the message broadcaster 303 in the chat server complex 204. Alternatively, the representation of that notice can be a text message that is placed in the chat history with a message indicating that the message sent was received by all recipients. The echo can be sent back when the outbound message 400 is received by the message broadcaster 303. The chat server complex 204 can then send a receipt notice when all the recipients have received the message. Preferably, the original echo is annotated when the delivery receipt arrives (e.g., changes color and/or font, or is adorned with a symbol like a check mark, etc.) to give notice of receipt. In an alternate approach, the echo message back to the user can be delayed until the broadcaster 303 has received confirmation that all intended recipients received copies of the message. However, the approach may present some presentation side effects that can be confusing to the user in environments where the delivery latency is relatively long and there is a high degree of latency variability between the deliveries of the plurality of copy messages. In such situations, at least one recipient may respond back to the sender before the message reaches the remaining recipients. In that case, the sender would see on his/her chat history display (see e.g.,
While not illustrated, at any time, the user may query the system as to who has (or has not) received the message. Other implementations may choose to forgo allowing the user to query the system for outstanding deliveries and instead provide comparable information by sending a plurality of receipt notices (one each time a copy is delivered to the user). While such techniques may be simpler to support in the chat server complex 204, they may require more communication resources.
In the example of
When an entry is highlighted 1106, the plurality of nicknames 802 or 704 of the sender and the other recipients is placed in the title bar 1101. If the list is too long, the contents of the title bar 401 scroll. Alternatively, short names or other symbols may be used in place of the nicknames in the title bar 1101. As the user selects an entry 1106, all related chat messages in the same thread are emphasized 1103 as well. Emphasis can be done by changing or annotating the related entries or changing unrelated entries (e.g., graying out the entries). If a selected entry is too long to be displayed in its entirety and is selected for a length of time, the contents of the entry can expand automatically to display the entire text content. In that case, when the user moves to another entry, the entry immediately shrinks back to fit within its originally allocated space of 2–3 lines of text. The actual number of allocated lines depends on the screen size. As new inbound chat messages 400 arrive, new entries are added automatically to the list, for example, at the bottom of the list. The bottom or buddy list entry 1107 is a special entry referencing the list of buddies currently selected in the buddy list display. The user can use the entry to start a new thread with the buddies. The bottom entry 1107 only appears when the user has selected buddies, and comprises an icon 1110 distinguishing the entry from other "regular" chat message entries. If the user selects the bottom entry 1107, the list of buddies appears in the title bar 1101 in the same manner recipients are displayed when the "regular" entries of the chat history are highlighted.
The left softkey label 1108 is "buddies". Single-clicking or click-holding the left softkey switches the user to the buddy list display (see
It should be noted, that if an inbound speech message arrives while the chat history display is not visible to the user, the received speech is queued up. In a current implementation, the most recently received speech message (or at least that portion that will fit in available memory) are queued at the receiving terminal. In an alternate approach, such queuing can occur at the server complex such that the recipient can request playback within a predetermined period of time. Further still, queuing could occur at both the terminal and the server-side such that playback may be requested from the server in the event that a given speech message is no longer available at the terminal. While the speech entry is the most recent speech entry, the associated speech remains queued and ready for automatic playback upon the user's return to the chat history display. When the user switches back to the chat history display, if the speech entry is visible on the screen, it is automatically played back. Only the last speech message received is automatically played back. The playback is abandoned if the user returned to the chat history to record and transmit a speech chat message.
Unambiguous delivery of speech messages to the user is a problem when integrating multiple multi-modal threads of conversation into a single chat history. In the current art, it is difficult for a user to associate speech with a particular discussion threads. The system disclosed herein solves the association problem in two ways. First, as discussed above, each speech message leaves an entry on the display. The entries link to their corresponding threads and represents at least the sender and the list of other recipients of the message. This, however, is not sufficient in cases where the user is unable to view the display while listening to speech messages. For this reason, the system disclosed herein uses a second technique in conjunction with the first. Preferably, when a user selects a thread, all speech messages associated with the selected thread are played back to the user automatically, unless otherwise provisioned by the user. Any speech messages not belonging to the selected thread are not played back automatically. Instead, the mobile terminal 100 presents an audible signal to the user indicating that there is other incoming speech message(s) in other thread(s). The user at that point can chose to playback the message or request the system drop it. Irrespective of whether the incoming speech message is played, the text portion of the incoming speech message is presented on the display. This helps the user in the decision process of choosing to listen to the message or ignoring it. Further optimizations are possible. For example, the user can be given the option to drop the message. Any speech data being transmitted is then dropped and the server is notified that it can stop transmitting the remainder of the speech message and begin transmitting the next message in the queue (if one exists).
The delivery techniques can be optimized. For example, the mobile terminal 100 may send a message to the chat server complex 204 whenever the user selects a thread. This allows the chat server complex 204 to suppress sending the speech components of the speech message not belonging to the selected thread until the user indicates he/she wants to listen to the speech. This minimizes sending large amounts of data to the mobile terminal 100 that may not be used.
The present invention is not limited to multi-modal chatting between humans. Multi-modal chatting can include machines. There exists text-based chatting systems, such as those deployed by Active Buddy, Inc., that allow users to interact with inventive services in the network using a chat metaphor. Unlike these systems, however, the systems disclosed herein allow the chatting dialogue to use both text and speech. For example, a user wishing to get status on a delivery of a package may send a speech message to a package deliver service presence. The speech would include at least the package identifier. The automated response service, using speech recognition techniques known in the art, determines the user's request and composes a response. That response can be speech based (e.g., it may send a speech message indicating it wasn't able to understand the request,) or it can be textual (e.g., the list of details of the package in route to its destination.) The service subscribes to the user's presence. The service sends the results back to the user when it notices the users presence's status allows sending the details in the preferred format.
The inventive systems also allow services to incorporate commands that can be fulfilled at either the mobile terminal 100 (e.g., initiate a phone call) or at the server complex 204 (possibly in conjunction with other services in the network), or some combination thereof. For example, an individual chatting with another user may at some point wish to initiate a phone conversation. Preferably, the user requests the server complex 204 to initiate a phone conversation by sending a command from the mobile terminal 100 to the server complex 204 comprising at least the information needed to establish a phone call between the sender and the target recipient. The server complex 204 initiates a request to a Voice Over IP (VoIP) telephony system. That system then establishes the closest telephony access points to the end points and sets up a call by calling back the sender and the target user routing the calls between those access point using such common protocol as Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP). The system may use a chatting interface to collect and establish the details of the call (as described earlier) or it may collect the information and initiate a command using common techniques known to those with ordinary skill in the art. In an alternative approach, the server complex 204 sends a command back to the mobile terminal 100 comprising at least the target's phone number. The mobile terminal 100 then initiates a telephony call with the target. Conventional techniques may be used to establish a phone call at the mobile terminal 100.
The quality characteristics of connections over wireless data networks can change with time. For example, a mobile user can move into a no coverage area where the data connection is dropped. The connection can be re-established later when coverage is available again, however, in the process the mobile terminal 100 may acquire a new IP address. Consequently, the server complex 204 is left unable to forward messages to the mobile terminal 100. To deal with this, the system disclosed herein uses a session identifier to describe the connection between a particular mobile terminal 100 and the server complex 204. Whenever a mobile terminal re-establishes a connection (after losing it due to loss of coverage, as an example) the mobile terminal 100 re-uses the session id of the interrupted session. The server complex 204 then rebinds the new connection to the existing session. If the mobile terminal 100 does not reconnect within a given timeout period, the server complex 204 can terminate the session. Other events causing a disconnection can include a lost session termination command sent from the mobile terminal 100, improper shut down of the chat application at the mobile terminal 100, battery failure, and the like.
Preferably, all routing that occurs within (or among) server complexes 204 is done using the session ids. A session id is preferably used instead of a client id because a user may choose to terminate a session and establish another. In this manner, all messages bound to the terminated session may be removed from the system. Only transactions associated the active sessions are maintained. Also, in a distributed server complex 204 environment where there are many message broadcasters 303 (i.e. physical server hosts), the client may attach to different hosts servers. Using session ids provides a simple means to find where the client is currently connected. In addition, on re-establishing a connection, the server complex 204 can use what is commonly known in the art as sticky load-balancing switches that direct a re-connecting client to physically re-establish its connection with its previous host server based on the session id (even in cases where the IP address of the mobile terminal 100 may have changed.)
In addition, many wireless operator networks do not allow unsolicited network-initiated messages to reach the mobile terminal 100. Network-initiated messages, as they pertains to the systems described herein are messages going from the server complex 204 toward the mobile terminal 100 that appear to the network operator as if it was unsolicited by the mobile terminal 100. This is a common problem in chatting environments since a message broadcaster 303 commonly sends unsolicited inbound messages 500 to the recipients of a message. To overcome this, the system uses keep-alive strategies. These strategies vary depending on the data transfer protocol established between the particular mobile terminal 100 and the server complex 204. The keep-alive strategies involve periodically sending a message from the mobile terminal 100 to the server complex 204. The keep-alive message appears to the mobile network as a request. Subsequent messages sent back to the mobile terminal 100 can then be considered by the operator as responses to requests as long as the messages sent to the mobile terminal 100 originate from the same address the mobile terminal 100 sent the keep alive message to. The frequency of the keep-alive messages is a matter of design choice and transfer protocol used. When HTTP is used as the transfer protocol, the system uses a polling mechanism. Using this mechanism, the keep-alive message is sent frequently and acts as a poll to determine if there are any pending messages at the server complex. If there are pending messages, those messages are sent back as a response to the polling request. TCP and or UDP do not require a polling mechanism and can use keep-alive techniques, such as simply sending at least the session id in a message to the server complex 204 with a significantly longer time between messages. Sending keep-alive messages may be optimized. For instance, the keep-alive messages do not have to be sent when outbound messages 400 have been recently sent from the mobile terminal 100 to the server complex 204.
Preferably, all messages sent to the mobile terminal 100 from the server complex 204 go through the same router and possibly the same physical host server that the mobile terminal 100 attaches to in the server complex 204. This ensures that the operators can treat the messages as responses to a mobile terminal's 100 requests. Other techniques to make traffic appear to originate from the same location, such as address mapping and the like can also be used by the system.
In addition, keep-alive messages work in conjunction with other techniques described above to inform the chat server complex 204 if the address of the mobile terminal has changed. This is especially useful in cases where UDP is used as the transport protocol. On every keep-alive message sent, the server complex 204 notes the address of the mobile terminal 100. If the address changed, the server complex 204 then rebinds the session id to the new address. As such, the keep-alive message may still benefit the system even if the operator does not block network-initiated messages.
It is possible that the server complex 204 is unable to deliver a message to a mobile terminal 100 because it doesn't have the most up-to-date address—the address of the mobile terminal 100 may have changed before a keep-alive message is sent. In this situation, the system may, for example, hold on to the undelivered message for a period until the next keep-alive message arrives; it may drop the message and inform the sender that it failed to send the message; or it may send the message using some out-of-band mechanism, such as the out-of bad mechanism described in connection with
A problem in some currently deployed wireless packet data networks is communication channel resource contention. While a wireless data connection is established, some systems (e.g., CDMA's 1�RTT) can loose the capability to route telephony calls and other wireless related services to the mobile terminals 100. As such, the keep-alive strategy used by the system described above can become problematic. To solve this problem, the preferred embodiment uses a back-off strategy that is based on predicting the user's involvement in the chatting service. The back-off strategy uses a dynamic timeout scheme. For example, when the mobile terminal 100 is presenting a chat history display where there are active updates (i.e., inbound messages 500) and the likelihood if participation is high, the length of timeout is significantly longer than when there are no updates or when the mobile terminal 100 is presenting a buddy list display and the likelihood pf participation is lower. The purpose of the timeout is to guard against cases where the user might have forgotten or otherwise inadvertently left the chatting application running preventing any incoming telephony calls or other communications from reaching the user. When a timeout occurs, the user is given the opportunity to continue the session. A prompt notifying the user that the connection between the mobile terminal 100 and the server complex 204 is about to be severed. The user can choose to cancel the action and keep the connection alive. Otherwise, if the user doesn't cancel within the allotted time to respond, the connection is automatically terminated. When the mobile terminal is disconnected, it can no longer receive chat messages through the previously established packet data connections.
Alternative disconnect schemes can be used. For example, the chatting program running on the mobile terminal may choose to periodically reconnect with the server complex 204 to see if there are any messages pending delivery. If not, the chatting program on the mobile unit may automatically disconnect. Otherwise, the messages are delivered and the program updates the chat history display as described above and resumes operations until either the user terminates the session or a timeout occurs as described above.
To integrate a legacy terminal, the chat server complex 204 communicates with at least one SMS aggregator 1501 via the communication network 203 (such as the Internet or World Wide Web). The SMS aggregator 1501, which can be a commercially-available device, comprises all those elements needed to allow entities that may not have any direct affiliation with wireless carriers to inject SMS messages into at least one wireless carrier network 202. The SMS aggregator 1501 takes as input (via its interfaces to the communication network) a description of the SMS. The description comprises all the elements needed to send a message to the target mobile terminal 100. The description comprising at least the originator's address, such as a mobile terminal's 100 address, or a special return address known as a short code or a long code, the destination address, such as a terminal 100 address, and the content of the message.
The SMS aggregator 1501 communicates with the target operator via its wireless carrier network 202 interfaces and injects an SMS on behalf of the requester. In this system, the requestor is the chat server complex 204 or any agents acting on its behalf.
The mobile terminal 100 allows a user to enter the address of a legacy mobile terminal 1502. This can be done in an ad-hoc fashion where the user is prompted for the address at the time of creating the outbound message 400. The address in this context is typically the telephone number of the mobile terminal 1502. Alternatively, for a user frequently targeting a particular legacy mobile terminal 1502, the system may provide that user means to build a buddy presence in the system comprising at least a presence data record 700 and a nickname data record 800. Conventional data collection and construction methods for the processes of adding a legacy buddy or using ad-hoc addressing, can be employed.
The legacy address, be it the actual address or a recipient's id of legacy buddy, can be used in the same manner as any other recipient id. It is placed in the list of recipient ids (403 and 502) in outbound messages 400 and inbound messages 500. In the case where the actual address is used, the address presentation is usually distinguishable from non-legacy addresses. That allows the system to process the address in a different manner than the remaining recipient ids.
The legacy address can be a part of a group communication with at least another legacy mobile terminal 1502 and at least another [non legacy] mobile terminal 100. Alternatively, the legacy address can be the only address supplied in a one-to-one communication with the legacy terminal. The legacy address can be part of initiating a new thread of conversation, or it can be part of a reply to an existing thread.
In the case of ad-hoc entry of legacy address, the system has to establish recipient fields (503–505) in inbound messages 500. The system may place generic representation in these fields. For example, it can use the address as the recipient's name 503. Where available, the system may query public address books to find the actual name. Other techniques may also be deployed. For example, in cases where the information is considered private and the system is not permitted to present it, the mobile terminal 100 (or the server complex 204) may replace the information with proxy representations.
The outbound message 400 carrying a legacy address is sent to the message broadcaster 303 in the chat server complex 204. The message broadcaster 303 detects the legacy address of the legacy mobile terminal 1502 (either the actual address or a reference to it using a legacy buddy recipient id). For each non-legacy mobile terminals 100, the message broadcaster 303 builds inbound messages 500 as described above herein.
For each of the target legacy terminals 1502, the broadcaster 303 sends an SMS request to the SMS aggregator 1501. To do this, the broadcaster 303 sets the originator address of the SMS request to the mobile address of the sender's mobile terminal 100 initiating the message. The SMS aggregator 1501 sends an SMS on behalf of the chat server complex 204 and the sending user to the legacy mobile terminal 1502.
The message sent to the legacy mobile terminal 1502 contains at least the original message. Other information can be included in the message. For example, the message may comprise the list of other recipients, the thread identification, the time of delivery, a service provider identity, an advertisement, or the like. In the case of a voice message that can not be delivered via the out-of-band messaging scheme, the chat server complex 204 can replace the voice content with textual content. Where speech-to-text service are available, the chat server complex 204 can place the derived text message whole or truncated. Otherwise, the chat server complex 204 can place a representation of the discussion. For example, it may drop the voice part and only send the text part similar to what is displayed on a chat history display when an inbound voice message is received.
Once the SMS is delivered to the recipient's legacy mobile terminal 1502, the SMS application native to the legacy mobile terminal 1502, which typically resides in an application storage and is executed on a CPU within terminal 1502 intercepts the SMS and notifies the user allowing the user to read the contents of the message. The recipient may respond to the message using the SMS application on the legacy mobile terminal 1502. In that case, the application builds a reply SMS that targets the sender using the originator address in the original inbound SMS that was supplied by the chat server complex 204. In this situation, the message does not go back to the chat server complex 204. Instead, the reply SMS goes directly to the target mobile terminal 100 via the wireless carrier's network 202. When the response reaches the target mobile terminal 100, the chat application, intercepts the message and displays it as part of the chat history display as described in
Some mobile terminals do not allow the chat application to access the out-of-band messaging system. In that case, the user would either have to respond using the native out-of-band application, move the message (in part or in whole) between the two applications, or otherwise manage the message in the application.
Currently most SMS systems do not comprise the elements necessary to allow the chat server complex 204 to predictably embed any information that would manifest itself in an SMS response coming back from the legacy mobile terminal 1502 (such as a thread id, list of recipients, or the like.) As such, the reply SMS is not guaranteed to have any identification that would allow the chat application program on the mobile terminal 100 to bind the inbound message to an existing thread. As a result, the message may appear in the chat history display as a new message in a new thread. The client on the mobile terminal 100 under these conditions can generate the thread id on behalf of the legacy mobile terminal 1502. In the event the user replies, the new message and the legacy mobile terminal's 1502 address (i.e., the originator address of the reply SMS address) are sent to the chat server complex 204.
In an alternate embodiment, the chat server complex 204 does not place the sender's mobile address as the SMS originator address as described in the preferred embodiment. Instead, the chat server complex 204 uses a long code or alternatively, a short code. In this case, the SMS reply from the legacy mobile terminal 1502 goes back to the server complex 204. The chat server complex 204 can de-multiplex the messages from the legacy mobile terminals 1502 over of codes using various conventional techniques to bind a reply SMS to an existing thread. In this case, the message broadcaster 303 in the chat server complex's 204 can broadcast the message back to all the participants in the thread via the appropriate channels. For example, if another legacy mobile device was participating in the thread, the message broadcaster 303 could send the message via the SMS aggregator 1501 as described above herein.
The legacy integration role of the message broadcaster 303 can be performed at the mobile terminal 100 instead of in the chat server complex 204. In this case, the mobile terminal 100 does not use the SMS aggregator 1501. Instead, the mobile terminal 100 could inject the SMS directly into at least one wireless carrier network 202 for each of the targeted legacy mobile terminal(s) 1502.
Other out-of-band communication mechanisms can be used such as email, Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS), or the like. In such cases, other gateway forms replace the SMS aggregator 1501. Other delivery mechanisms may allow embedding other information in the reply message from the legacy terminal, further allowing the system to bind the replies to the existing threads.
A problem confronted by some mobile terminals 100 is loss of application context when the user initiates another, non-chat application on the terminal 100. For example, when a user on a mobile terminal 100 receives an incoming telephony call, the mobile terminal 100 may drop data connection resources, suspend or halt executing the chat program, and/or otherwise disable the chat application from communicating and fulfilling chat transactions with the chat server complex 204. In this case, the user may shutdown the chat application when there is little perceived activity or the chatting program may disconnect automatically to free up resources, as described above herein. As such, what was once considered a valid mobile terminal 100 for chatting according to the systems disclosed herein may act in a manner indistinguishable from that of a legacy mobile terminal 1501. The techniques that are described above as methods to integrate the chat environment with legacy mobile terminals 1502 can be applied in these situations as well. The out-of-band delivery of messages (via SMS for example) acts as a hailing to the user. It informs the recipient that a chat thread is in progress. The user may then choose to re-activate the chat program and resume the chat conversation. Alternatively, if resumption is not possible or convenient, the user may still chose to participate using the available out-of-band mechanism. In cases where the chatting application has access to the incoming out-of-band message, the chatting application on the mobile terminal 100 many extract the content and place them in the chat history display. It may also allow the recipient to reply to the sender. The reply may go back as an out-of-band message or it may go through the chatting system as an outbound message 500 band through the chat systems disclosed herein.
The presence status 702 represented on the mobile terminal 100 by presence status indicators 904 and 911 describes what is referred to as availability. Availability in such contexts indicates that a user is able to receive inbound messages 500 (and optionally the type of inbound messages 500.) A status that indicates lack of availability in such contexts presents the fact that a user is unable to receive inbound messages 500 (or a particular type thereof). As such, either the system will drop messages targeting the unavailable user, or it will store the messages for some time until the user is available again. For example, the system may always attempt to deliver the message (even to legacy mobile terminals 1502). In addition, the availability (as defined by the current art) of legacy mobile terminals 1502 may not be determinable. Furthermore, it could be argued that the usefulness of availability (as defined by the current art) is somewhat diminished in cases where the mobile terminal 100 (and 1502) accompany the user the majority of time.
The presence status 702 can implement availability as defined above. In addition, the systems use presence status 702 and presence status indicators 904 and 911 to communicate other information, such as message delivery type. To accomplish this, the user on the mobile terminal 100 is presented with a representation of the means the system will likely use to deliver the message such as using in-band communications over the wireless packet data or through an out-of-band method such as SMS, email, or the like. It may also provide a representation of the subset or type of the messages that are likely be delivered. For example, an SMS-text-only representation can indicate that only the text portions of the message would likely be sent via SMS to the target recipient. As such, any attachments (e.g., pictures) as well as any speech components of outbound messages 400 would likely be dropped or otherwise not delivered to the target recipient. Such representation is better suited to the mobile user. For example, it may communicate to the user the cost associated with the delivery of the message, the expected delays, and or quality of service.
By activating the GUI controls 1604, a user can selectively place the terminal screen 1600 in second mode, as shown in
Preferably, the screen 1600 can be switched back and forth between the first and second modes using a user-selectable area of the mobile terminal GUI, such as a button or selection included in a pull-down menu or toolbar. However, other user-operable switches, such as a momentary contact switch, key pad button(s), configurable soft key(s), or the like can be used to place the terminal display screen into either mode.
The functionality for the display modes illustrated in
What has been described above is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Other arrangements and methods can be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
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Safety cable for use when using pull clamps on bodywork. In the event of the pull clamp becoming detached from the vehicle bodywork under tension the use of the safety cable will minimize the risk of serious injury.
Sealey are one of Europes largest tool and equipment brands with nearly 8000 products available from its extensive catalogue. Sealeys products are backed by an excellent 12 month guarantee and their hand tools benefit from a lifetime warranty, giving purchasers added peace of mind.
This family owned company have huge stocks and can deliver pretty much anywhere in the country the next day on a premium service.
Sealey are big on service and their parts service is second to none. Currently with over 130,000 different parts in stock, Sealey can supply parts for all their products from a circlip to a compressor tank, generally from stock check Sealeys website for their on-line instructions and parts lists.
All the tools you need.

subset: commoncrawl


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BANNER ELK, N.C. – Jaclyn Kernohan scored six goals but it wasn't enough as Lees-McRae College pulled away from Young Harris College late in the second half as the Bobcats recorded a 21-12 non-conference women's lacrosse victory Wednesday (April 2) afternoon at Tate Field.
The Bobcats improved to 4-6 while the Mountain Lions, who had their second largest offensive scoring output of the season, fell to 1-13. Young Harris will travel to Salisbury, N.C., for a 2 p.m. match against Catawba College Sunday (April 6).
Young Harris struck first on an Ivey Franklin goal 44 seconds into the match, but Lees-McRae scored the next five goals to open a 5-1 lead on a Nicole Dupont goal with 15:24 left in the first half. The Mountain Lions wouldn't be deterred as they scored three unanswered goals by Franklin, Kaylynn Roach and Marisa Martelli to pull within a goal at 5-4 with 4:40 left in the half. Katelin Rooney added a goal with 88 seconds before the half to give Lees-McRae a 6-4 lead at the intermission.
After a LMC goal, Kernohan, who scored all of her goals in the second half, scored back-to-back goals in a span of 37 seconds to pull the Mountain Lions within a goal at 7-6 with 25:44 to play. Lees-McRae broke open the match as they scored four of the next five goals to open up an 11-7 advantage. Goals by Kernohan, Caitlin Pardus and Jordana Freitas pulled the Mountain Lions within two goals at 12-10 with 16:16 remaining. However, the Bobcats scored the next three goals to open up a 15-10 lead with 12:33 left. After a Kernohan goal, Lees-McRae closed out the match by scoring six of the final seven goals.
Kernohan led the Mountain Lions with six goals while Franklin had two and Roach, Freitas, Martelli and Pardus each tallied one. Freitas, Kernohan and Roach each added an assist.
The Mountain Lions scooped up 28 ground balls and won 11 draw controls. Kernohan had six ground balls while Roach collected five. Pardus, Jade Smith and Anna Lummus had three ground balls apiece while Peyton King, Franklin and Sarah Nudelman had two each. Freitas claimed six draw controls while Kernohan added three more.
Nudelman had 11 saves in goal for the Mountain Lions.


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Second London Attacks
[Sorry, the video for this story has expired, but you can still read the transcript below. ]
JULIAN RUSH: If London had a lucky escape today, police investigators had a lucky break. Because these bombs did not explode — and the reason for that may well tell police something significant about the organization or skill of the bombers — a welter of clues has been left behind because nothing has been destroyed. Everything is up for grabs as one former forensic scientist put it to me today.
SIR IAN BLAIR: We do believe that this may represent — may represent — a significant breakthrough in the sense that there is, obviously, forensic material at these scenes which may be very helpful to us. So I feel very positive about some of these developments.
JULIAN RUSH: Combing the scenes for clues will take days. They can't start until they've been made safe, but already the lines of inquiry are clear. Was this a copycat attack or was it done by people linked to the bombs of two weeks ago, or by a separate cell?
One thing that makes a difference, though, is bombers are still alive, and forensic clues will almost certainly lead to them.
MAN: It started to smell like rubber or wire, and it got a bit worse, and then suddenly people were starting screaming and shouting and running.
JULIAN RUSH: Eyewitnesses will be a key part of the investigations — not just those who may have seen the bombers, but what they heard or saw or smelled can be clues for forensic teams. So police were quickly on scene, appealing for witnesses.
Forensic science provided the breakthrough after the Madrid bombings. A partial fingerprint on a mobile phone SIM card led to at least some members of the cell who carried out the attack.
The key question in London today: Were these attacks linked to the ones of two weeks ago? Forensic clues will come from traditional sources, fingerprints and fibers on the rucksacks and hold-alls and their contents. But DNA can now be taken from the tiniest of samples. Just holding the handle of a bag leaves enough sweat to be useful.
And then there's the bombs themselves. What type of explosive, commercial or homemade? Police will be looking to see if it's the same as the explosive material found at the car at Luton Station a fortnight ago, or if it matches up with the bath of liquid and solid that's still causing concern in the house in Leeds that's been dubbed "the bomb factory."
And even though much was destroyed in the blast two weeks ago, fragments would have survived, chemical traces of explosive, wire fragments in timers. If any match to today's crime scenes, police will know they're dealing with the same group.
Today's attacks bear uncanny similarities, too. It was three tubes and a bus. The three tube lines hit today all go through King's Cross. They were nearly simultaneous. Rucksacks were used last time, and eyewitnesses speak of the same today. But there were crucial differences, too. Sorting out what matters and what doesn't is the task ahead.


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True Blood
True Blood's Stephen Moyer: Hotter Dressed Up or Casual? (PHOTOS)
When it comes to vampires, Bill Compton was one of the most naked ones in True Blood Season 5.
Although he was getting it on with Salome instead of Sookie, we still saw a lot of Bill. In fact, the final scene showcased a new version of him, Billith, in all of his glory, naked and dripping in blood from head to toe. Unfortunately, based on Lilith's lack of clothing throughout the season, we're worried that we won't see Bill rockin' a crisp button-down or a leather jacket next season!
Luckily, portrayer Stephen Moyer's style is similar, keeping us satisfied even when naked Billith attacks all of Bon Temps' humans. However, aside from his love of grey suits, Stephen rarely wears the same thing twice, and there is a distinctive difference between his casual and dressed-up looks.
On the left, Stephen is pictured at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Opening Night Gala on Oct. 7, 2010. Wearing a sleek black suit, his look is classic, but a bit scruffy, giving the camera quite a stare-down!
Meanwhile, on the right, Stephen is pictured out and about in Beverly Hills on March 22, 2011. While still scruffy, he is wearing a blue-grey shirt, an olive green cardigan, jeans, and boots. Slightly-spiked hair and sunglasses round out his casual attire!
Now comes the hard part: Does Stephen look hotter dressed up or casual? Pick your favorite below!
Wanna chat with fellow True Blood fans? Join the discussion on our True Blood Facebook page!
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Alexander Skarsgard


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FantasieLizbeth Short
Sexy and feminine, the Fantasie Lizbeth Lizbeth Short is fashioned in a stylish snake skin print. It is detailed with embroidered mesh at the hips and a bow at the waist. Partner with the Fantasie Lizbeth Underwired Bra With Side Support.
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Call 0345 401 2014 or chat to an advisor onlineCHAT NOW


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[ Izzy and Hunter and their rabbits they won with on May 1st , 2011]
Welcome to Willner's Wabbitry. We are a small rabbitry in central Minnesota, raising Mini Lops, Dwarf Hotots, and Netherland Dwarfs. We have been raising Mini Lops since 2009, Dwarf Hotots since 2011, and Netherlands since Spring of 2012. So come along and join us on our adventure in rabbits, we're glad you came to visit.
We started with 2 Mini Lop X does that came from the internet. Then we started attending shows and bought purebred, pedigreed rabbits. We now have 12 Mini Lop does, 3 Mini Lop bucks, and lots of babies. Our Dwarf Hotots started off with one bred doe from Mindt's Busy Bunnies. We kept the two does out of her first litter. Then we started looking for a few more rabbits and were grateful to come across a great deal from Thunder Hill's Rabbitry in Iowa and were able to add 20 more Dwarf Hotots to our rabbitry. I was looking for a breed that could be the kid's only and we came across the Netherland Dwarfs. We got lucky and got two very friendly brood does and a spunky show buck. The kids are having fun with their new friends.
Our rabbits are loved by our 14 year old, 8 year old, 6 year old, and myself. They are handled daily and are a part of our family. We hope that your new addition will become part of your family as well.
We are members of the following rabbit organizations:
AMLRC- American Mini Lop Rabbit Club
ARBA- American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc.
MSRBA- Minnesota State Rabbit Breeders Association
ADHRC- American Dwarf Hotot Rabbit Club
ANDRC- American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club
We are an ARBA registered rabbitry.
The Mini Lop rabbit is considered a medium sized rabbit. They are an excellent breed for any age. Nice and compact, with a great disposition. Mini lops average 6 pounds with, 4.5 to 6.5 being the weight minimums and maximums for the breed.
The Dwarf Hotot rabbit is a considered a dwarf rabbit. They are a curious breed and due to their size should be handled by children and adults used to holding rabbits. Short, compact, and well rounded little rabbit with black or chocolate eye bands. Dwarf Hotots average 2.5 pounds and can reach up to 3 pounds at adult weight.
Izzy with her BIS Blue Mini Lop, Ryan with his ribbon winning Mini Lop,
and Hunter with his BOB Dwarf Hotot


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Select an edition for more focused local news coverage when you visit NOLA.com.
Don't worry. You can change this setting at any time to another local edition.
Actually, the Hornets did not take any money from the state this year.


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A desktop computer is actually an investment. Because it is not cheap, you must find one that suits your needs. If you buy too small, you are going to have trouble getting all of your various tasks complete. Yes the following tips to enhance your computer shopping experience.
Always have anti virus on your desktop. Without it, a virus may harm your operating system. There are many kinds of bad software than can slow your computer down or even compromise your personal information. There are lots of programs that can scan and repair these on a schedule, and many new desktops have this software.
If you have found that your desktop is running slow then you can start by doing a boot check. You can perform a boot check on a new desktop by going on the start emnu and running "ms config." Here you can easily find out how many programs start running at boot up. Identify any software or apps that you don't use, and disable them from automatically starting at boot. Your computer is going to run a lot faster when you do this.
Check out all the add-ons that are available with your new computer. Many computers have the option to buy extra accessories. Only buy those you require. In addition, shop around for the best prices because many add-ons cost less when purchased elsewhere online. The manufacturers usually sell their goods at the highest possible prices.
When creating a desktop computer at home pay attention to the types of products you use. Some parts won't be compatible with others. RAM won't work with all motherboards either. Before you purchase anything, make sure of their cross compatibility. This will make things much more practical for you.
Measure the area in which you plan to place your computer. It's a good idea to measure the space, horizontal and vertical that you have available for your desktop computer and compare it against the dimensions of the computer that you'd like to purchase. Don't buy a desktop that is too large to fit in its designated space. Measure the space before you start shopping.
Prior to making your computer purchase, examine various reviews on reputable tech sits. You can easily get overwhelmed with your options when looking for a computer. If you look for quality reviews written by technical professionals, you will be able to get the one that will perform as you expect it to.
Make sure there is some type of warranty offered when you buy your computer. This helps ensure you don't have any problems if your computer starts messing up. Depending on the warranty that comes with it, you may be able to simply return it and get a replacement in hours.
In order to accomplish the task of purchasing a desktop computer that fits your needs, compile a list that includes all the things you will need it for. The type you need depends on these tasks that you do regularly. If you like playing games on your computer, then you need one that is more advances than someone who only surfs the web and checks email.
Most computer manufacturers have gone digital with their product information, therefore, be thorough in your research. Ensure that you can find software, drivers and instructions online, if they are not included in paper form.
Make sure any software you buy with a computer is legal. You must receive the key and the CD so that you do not incur legal difficulties or find yourself unable to get essential software updates.
If you are considering the environment while shopping for a computer, a mini PC may interest you. They don't use much electricity when operating, but have the processing power you need. Anyone who is looking for a desktop computer to complete basic tasks should consider getting one of these smaller, less expensive models.
Keep peripherals in mind when desktop shopping. Buying a desktop also included a monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers. You'll likely also want a printer, and make sure your desktop has connections for broadband Internet and WiFi. Which other hardware do you require?
Don't try and save too much money when buying a desktop. Sometimes, these computers are cheap for a reason. Purchase from manufacturers who have a good reputation. If the price offered seems to be too good, then there is probably a reason for that. Independent sellers might offer you a great deal, but the devices might require repairs.
When buying a computer, you may want to ask the salesperson if you can upgrade it before completing the purchase. Many times it will cost much less to have the seller upgrade the machine than it will to buy it and have another company do the enhancement.
For many years, it was traditional to buy a desktop bundle with monitor, computer and printer together. Avoid doing this. Flat-screen televisions are capable of acting as monitors, so old-fashioned monitors are harder to find. If you have an existing keyboard and mouse, they should be compatible with this.
Buy a keyboard that is ergonomically correct. This will help you to avoid pain while you work for long periods on your computer. These keyboards are made to relieve stress from your arms, wrists and hands.
Two kinds of hard drives exist, and then there are further distinctions from there. The first is called an HDD drive, and it's known as the common standard. SSD is the newest version of hard drives. The SSD operates at greater revolutions per minute, but it usually does not hold as much data and it is more expensive.
If you're buying a used computer, know that most manufacturers won't allow a transfer of the warranty. Meaning of course that you will be responsible for any breakdowns and repairs. You will have to decide if this is something you are prepared to take on before buying.
When you have a good idea of what you need, it should not be difficult to find a desktop computer. After reading this article, you are ready to go shopping. Use the information above to help find a computer to suit your needs.Comments Off


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Animation: Lovely little advert for onefinestay is an animated delight
Many major corporations have tapped into the benefits of having super-friendly, very lovely animations to promote their wares (yes that's you, banks!) but this one seems much more, well, legit. onefinestay is a service that sets up your apartment or house when you go away so that people can come and stay and help you earn big dollar.
So what better way to celebrate such a nice idea than with a lovely animation? With beautiful illustrations by Maggie Li, director Dan Britt and art director Thom Bradley have produced an ad which makes you want to stick two-fingers up to rubbish hotels and sign up to onefinestay, stat.
Further reading:


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Skip to Main Content
Theory To Practice
Business Update
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Mountain Hawks win Sheridan Duals
Lehigh went undefeated at the Sheridan Duals for the third time in four years, defeating American 38-9 in the early match before taking down Rider 23-10 in the late match.
A scheduled match with Rutgers was cancelled when the New Jersey team was unable to make the trip due to inclement weather. Lehigh has now won six straight duals after a season-ppening loss to Iowa State.
In the match against American, Lehigh controlled from the very beginning. Head coach Greg Strobel elected to use the match to get some mat time for more of the wrestling squad, as Mario Stuart, Matt Ciasulli, and Matt Cassidy were the only starters to wrestle. The match only included seven matches, as American forfeited at three weights.
At 125, Mario Stuart came out firing, executing a takedown and a three-point near fall in the first period. He never let up either, winning over Matt Pelligrino by tech fall at 6:44 by a score of 20-3. Then, at 133, Matt Ciasulli gained his team-leading third pin of the season, toppling Ben Lamson in just 1:13.
Mark McCauley made his first appearance of the year at 141, losing a very close match to Daniel Lobsenz. Lobsenz executed a takedown with just :10 left on the clock in the third period to take the victory, 3-2. Tommy Rohn returned to the mat at 149, and Lehigh lost another thriller when Tim Kneizewski beat the buzzer with a match-tying takedown in the third, then scored another takedown in overtime to win 11-9.
The Mountain Hawks then took the next three weights by forfeit, with Derek Zinck, Mike Maceroli, and Brad Dillon picking up the wins. At 184, Dan Waters continued American's efforts, beating Dave Helfrich with the only takedown of the match, winning 3-2. At 197, Matt Cassidy improved to 5-1 on the season with his first pin, taking down Adam Montgomery at 1:51. Finally, at heavyweight, Anthony Livecchi won his first match by besting Jared Hyman 8-6.
Rider provides tougher test
In the afternoon, the Mountain Hawks got bonus points at only one weight while defeating Rider 23-10.
Senior Mario Stuart began the match by picking up his second win of the day with a 5-3 win over Jim DiCisco in a match that was tight throughout. Don Fisch of Rider then controlled the next match as he defeated Matt Ciasulli of Lehigh by a score of 7-1, tying the team scores at three.
Ninth-ranked Cory Cooperman helped the Mountain Hawks regain the lead with a 12-6 victory over Mike Molosky of the Broncs, in a match that Cooperman controlled throughout.
Freshman Matt Anderson then dueled with Labe Black in a bout at 149 that was close throughout. But Anderson was able to prevail with a 5-4 victory. At 157, Derek Zinck engaged in a very close and entertaining battle with Dave Miller, as both wrestlers tried to gain control of the bout. But neither was able to pull away. In the end, Zinck prevailed with a 3-1 victory and the Mountain Hawks led 12-3.
Mike Macerolli then got on the mat for the first time this season, after winning a decision by forfeit earlier in the day against American. Macerolli had a tough time against Ryan Cunningham, who came out fired up early and took control. Cunningham won the 165-pound bout by major decision with a score of 15-7, as the Broncs closed to within 12-7 overall.
But senior All-American Brad Dillon slammed the door shut with a win by technical fall, as he defeated Chris Marold 20-5, and put the Mountain Hawks back up by 17-7. And Travis Frick scored a tough 3-2 victory over Nick Catone to put Lehigh ahead 20-7, putting the match out of reach.
Freshman Matt Cassidy then went up against Jeff Black in a very intense match, which was interrupted midway through when Black spit on the mat, which turned into a technical point being awarded to Cassidy. Cassidy then countered Black's outburst with a balanced attack of his own, which turned into a 6-2 victory.
In the final bout of the day, Carmelo Marrero of Rider defeated Paul Weibel by a score of 11-6, but it did not matter at that point, as Lehigh was already in control.
It wasn't a totally lost day for Rider, though, as they defeated American 46-3. Rider leaves with a record of 1-1, while American is now 0-3.
Lehigh, now 6-1, returns to the mat on Jan. 3, when the Mountain Hawks travel to Columbus, Ohio to compete in the Buckeye Duals. Lehigh will take on three opponents, in host Ohio State, Buffalo and Eastern Illinois.
Posted on Monday, December 08, 2003
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Livianus is bored and longs for action. His reward for serving Rome is the governorship of a quiet corner of Gaul, but as he whiles away his days at his sumptuous villa, his thoughts turn to Attila the Hun, the feared barbarian with whom Livianus once enjoyed an intimate friendship. When a desperate emperor asks him to return to Pannonia to broker a truce with Attila, Livianus's old passion flares.
Attila is losing the will to go on. He is tired of being a tyrant but his people's future depends on him. The arrival of Livianus renews Attila's spirit as he prepares to march on Constantinople. Livianus has nothing to bargain with, but when the emperor's sister delivers a proposition for Attila, a new and brighter future seems to lay directly ahead. For the people, and especially for the two men.
But the deadly hand of the emperor isn't interested in peace, and as their plans are destroyed, only one course of action remains open to the Hun and the general.
Also available from:
Barnes and Noble
"Tristram La Roche successfully paints Attila the Hun as a sympathetic hero without diminishing his legend as a formidable warrior, something I wouldn't have thought possible until reading The Hun and the General. Attila's relationship with a man, who for all intents and purposes should be his sworn enemy, is entirely believable. These are two men who admire each other's intellect and skill, and respect each other as peers and friends, which figured believably into this erotic and interesting story." Top 2 Bottom Reviews http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/the-hun-and-the-general-by-tristram-la-roche/
"This is not a story for the faint of heart. It's bold, brutal and cruel, yet Tristram's portrayal of these events makes it compelling because even with the dark side of the story, it is so well written that I wanted to see it through. I'd recommend 'The Hun and The General' to anyone who can appreciate a graphically told history lesson, intertwined with a great deal of poetic license to create a dynamic effect. Thank you, Tristram, for a very unique look into this era of time." Lena Gray, QMO Books http://qmobooks.com/index.php/component/content/article/42967-the-hun-and-the-general-by-tristram-la-roche
"Tristram La Roche takes us far back in time for his latest novella and does an excellent job of it too. This is certainly not the history your teacher told you about! It is creative, imaginative and the sex is hot, urgent and earthy (there is a pun there but you'll have to read the story to find out. I don't do spoilers!). La Roche just keeps getting better. The tone of this novella is distinct from any of his previous work and the language he uses works well in this setting. Looking forward to the next from this already prolific author. Highly recommended for adults." Catherine Cavendish http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/243703263
"The Hun and The General is a love story set in violent times. This is isn't a traditional 'soft' romance, and I found the relationship between the two strong male characters both captivating and intriguing. Tristram builds the tension leading up to the men meeting very nicely and the chemistry between Attila and Livianus is well written. Their friendship is heart warming, and the erotic scenes between these two men are very masculine, down to earth (literally in one case), and powerfully sensual. There are a couple of twists along the way, perhaps brutal to our eyes now, but in fitting with the time in which the story is set. I love short stories and novellas - this was a very enjoyable evening's read." Julia Kavan http://www.amazon.com/review/R2SMBHMR5B1ROX/ref=cm_cr_dp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006GHC3HE&nodeID=133140011&tag=&linkCode
"...anyone who likes alpha men getting it on will probably enjoy it." Erastes, Speak Its Name http://speakitsname.com/2012/06/02/review-the-hun-and-the-general-by-tristram-la-roche/
Visit Tristram @ Twitter
Visit Tristram @ Facebook
Read an excerpt from The Hun and the General
About Tristram La Roche
Tristram La Roche was born in London and spent much of his childhood in Europe. His career has included tourism and yacht charter, as well as a brief period working as a freelance journalist. His interests include travel, art, theatre, cinema, books, cars and current affairs, and he is passionate about the rights of the GLBT community.
Always an avid reader, Tristram turned his hand to writing relatively recently. In less than a year he had four novellas published. As someone who grew up in less liberal times, he wants to help break down the barriers that still exist for GLBT citizens. His vehicle, surprise surprise, is his fiction. He writes MM - or gay fiction - with a bit of an edge, and likes to touch on a few sore points.
Tristram lives between London and the North of England with his civil partner. He is always happy to hear from his readers.
Also by Tristram La Roche:
Tris: To tell you the truth, it was really a challenge thrown to me by a fan. She said why doesn't someone write about Attila the Hun and make him a sub? So I did. I always like a challenge.
HH: What can you tell us about Livianus and why will readers relate to him?
Tris: He's a wise man, too intelligent to be wasting his years in early retirement. He longs to be active again, to be doing something, and he longs for his old lover, the fearsome Hun warrior. What we see in Livianus is someone who always knows the right the thing to do, who is not afraid to take action when needed, yet someone who has a soft, human side. He makes sacrifices for the greater good.
HH: What can you tell us about Attila and why will readers love him?
Tris: Attila is a warrior king. His people look to him for security and they expect him to be infallible. And he is tough, cruel, unbending. But he's only human. He is tired of having to be so strong and he needs support. He finds his outlet in Livianus. It is with another alpha male that Attila can reveal his weakness, not with a woman.
HH: What sort of research was required of you to bring this tale so stunningly to life?
Tris: I know quite a lot about ancient Rome but not about The Huns. I soon found out that very little is known about them, but I got my hands on what books I could and tried to make the story as true to the time as possible. I think The Huns, and in particular Attila, have been misunderstood and it would be interesting to know more about their society.
HH: How did you go about creating the world in which their story takes place?
Tris: Well that came from the reading I did on them. I also studied maps - ancient and modern - and books about the geographical area. I've been to Pannonia - but of course it doesn't exist these days!
HH: What else do you have in store for lucky readers?
Tris: Right now I am contemplating wiriting a SciFi. But I need a challenge!
HH: Where can readers find all of your works?
Tris: At my website where I have reviews, interviews and buylinks: http://tristramlaroche.com/
HH: What would we find in your to-be-read pile?
Ah, you may be surprised. Right now I have The Devil Insider Her by Catherine Cavendish, The Blue Eyed Boy by Joanne Harris and Lionel Asbo by Martin Amis.
HH: What other in person or online appearances will you be making this year?
Tris: None so far. I have no other requests at this point but no doubt something will crop up.
HH: When you're not reading or promoting you like to __________?
Tris: Oh, take your pick really! Cook, eat, watch films, listen to music, travel.
HH: Thank you!
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- Willamette
- Athletics
- News Archive
- 2006
- February
- Bearcat Second Half Rally Falls Short Against UPS
Women's Basketball | Friday, February 17, 2006
Bearcat Second Half Rally Falls Short Against UPS
TACOMA, Wash. — The University of Puget Sound Loggers got past the Willamette Bearcats, 74-58, on Friday night, led by 17 points from Brie Adderley and 16 from Kilty Keaton in a Northwest Conference game Friday night at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.
The Bearcats pulled to within six, 62-56, on consecutive 3-pointers from Laura Payne with 2:03 left to play. Those treys capped a second half comeback that saw the Bearcats cut a 54-36 deficit down to single digits.
The Loggers, ranked 25th in the latest d3hoops.com national poll, pulled away in the last two minutes as Shelby Ramirez went six-for-six from the free-throw line to keep the Loggers in front.
Payne finished with 18 points for the Bearcats, along with
rebounds. Junior Sara Brooks ended with eight rebounds and a game high
10 assists to go along with four points. Jennifer Bell, Tracie Nygaard and Brittany Farrer each had eight points.
Willamette shot 38.5-percent from the field and committed 22 turnovers.
The Loggers had three players in double-digits, including
Adderly with
17, Keaton with 16 and sophomore Morgan Harter with 10 points. Ramirez ended with six points, six rebounds and four assists. Chase finished with nine rebounds for the Loggers. The Loggers shot just 34.4-percent from the field, and out-rebounded the Bearcats 47-41.
The Bearcats finish the season Saturday when they travel to George Fox for a 6 p.m. contest.


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