269 results about "Countdown" patented technology

A progressive system (local and wide) where a primary and secondary progressive meter is maintained is disclosed. When a progressive win event occurs, there are two payouts: the first payout (defined by the primary meter) is paid to the player triggering the progressive payout event; the second payout (defined by the secondary meter) is paid to other players (or game devices) having “active” or “enrolled” status at the time of the primary payout event. The present invention provides a method for automating the “shared” win, including means for readily determining “active” players. A countdown meter may be used to enable the player a sufficient amount of time to continue play and be considered “active.” Additionally display meters may be used to indicate the status of the player or to warn the player of an imminent change in status. The progressive prizes may be funded using traditional methods (e.g., percentage of wagers, marketing budget). The progressive prizes may also be funded using expired prizes which have expired or lapsed.

A countdown game which is played in conjunction with a primary game on a gaming device or other game player terminal is disclosed herein. The countdown game enhances bonus game play by providing a “countdown indicator” which advances and retreats through various stages or levels of play. The player further accumulates a prize amount which may be won, lost or increased during play.

Methods and apparatus are provided for generating turn instructions on a turn-by-turn navigation system. The turn instructions can include a turn icon as well as visual and audio prompts. A countdown bar is typically embedded within the turn icon to provide upcoming turn information in intuitive graphic form, in order to reduce driver distraction. The turn-by-turn navigation system can generally be produced more economically than a typical premium system having a full complement of costly features, such as a color map display. Moreover, the turn-by-turn navigation system can be configured with only those features deemed most useful to a broad-based market segment, in order to further reduce manufacturing costs.

An image pickup apparatus includes a system controller and a face detector, and can register face data of a photographer for a self-timer shooting mode in advance. In the self-timer shooting mode, the face detector extracts face data of people in a subject field from an image signal. When the system controller determines, on the basis of the extracted face data and the registered face data, that the photographer can be detected, the apparatus starts countdown for automatic shooting. Consequently, the apparatus can pick up an image of the photographer without fail, and the photographer can securely strike a pose within the countdown period of time. Furthermore, the apparatus can determine the countdown period of time optionally, thereby enabling the self-timer shooting to be executed depending on the personality of the photographer.

Using low PF values in conjunction with traffic-adapted contention windows leads to substantial decreases in delay and jitter. In general, adaptation to traffic reduces contention or delay: opening up the contention window in congestion and closing it on relief. Residual backoff adaptation provides for the reduction of the already decremented backoff values of stations that interrupted the backoff countdown process due to a transmission. It is good to adapt both the contention window and the residual backoff in order to avoid jitter. Otherwise, if the contention window is reduced but residual backoffs stay unchanged, new arrivals will enjoy shorter backoff delays than older ones, resulting in greater jitter. Adjusting both preserves the relative ordering of backoff counter values, which implies also some form of age ordering. Different adjustments can be applied to different priority traffic.

A safety alarm system for motor vehicle drivers is disclosed. The system is removable from a steering wheel and includes a control box system with power supply, switch, alarm and timer. The driver monitors the timer via a visual display. The timer repeatedly counts down until a time-out event occurs causing an alarm to activate. Removable and manually operated sensors are provided on the rim of a steering wheel that monitor tactile pressure or feedback from a driver. Upon receipt of driver feedback, the sensors send a reset signal to the timer and the timer renews its countdown. The safety alarm device is adaptable for installation on a steering wheel by a steering wheel cover configured for adaptation to a particular vehicle.

The invention discloses an intelligent traffic light controlling system which comprises a monitoring camera, a traffic signal lamp and countdown lamp, a crossing traffic flow detection microprocessor, a traffic signal timing automatic adjustment and calculation microprocessor, a display driver module, a digital image processor, and an I/O interface. A controller automatically adjusts signal timing of traffic lights to enable utilization rate of green light in each direction of the crossing to increase or decrease along the same trend, compared with the traffic flow, thereby identifying flow state of the crossing in an effective and dynamic manner, adjusting signal timing automatically, and reducing traffic jam.

Estrus and ovulation of animals and particularly sows is determined for planning of a preferred time zone of fertilization by a sensing system arranged to detect standing of the animal. Data from the sensing system is collected and analyzed using an algorithm and information that is displayed on an indicating system to provide an indication to a worker of the time zone of estrus and ovulation and of a useful fertilization time zone and a preferred fertilization time zone of the animal. The indicating system includes a countdown clock to the preferred time zone of fertilization. In the event that the fertilization fails, an indication is provided about whether the actual time of fertilization occurred at the preferred time of fertilization indicated to the worker. When estrus is completed, a confidence level is provided about the position of the actual time of fertilization relative to ovulation.

The inventory tracking and purchasing method is deployed VOD interactive TV (STB-TV). Goods advertised with the shop on-demand (OD) process and the shop OD server, via the cable head end (HE) transmits an inventory sales indicator as metadata or configured VA to the STB-TV. The shop OD process displays the inventory scarcity indicia to the user. The shop OD server tracks goods available for sale based upon vendor supplied data or fictitious merchandising efforts. The sales indicator may be a time countdown to sell the goods. The time countdown is clock-based (STB) or metadata or VOD asset-based. Discount coupons may be sent as metadata or VA. The discount, time count and inventory scarcity indicator may be independent.

A boot-switching apparatus suitable for a system having a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories and a method thereof are provided. While booting the system, a single timer is used for counting down a time-out and it is determined whether a disabling signal sent by a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is received during the countdown. If the disabling signal is not received and the time-out is up, whether the processors operate normally is further detected and a plurality of detection signals is obtained. Next, whether each of the detection signals matches its corresponding enabling signal is determined. If the two do not match, the corresponding processor is disabled. If all of them match, the memories are switched. Accordingly, the problem of misjudgment in the prior art can be resolved and the system can be led to select normal processor and memory for executing its booting.

The invention discloses a fault detection device for LED traffic lights. The device is mainly composed of a working condition detection module (7), a signal switching detection module (6), a microcontroller (8) and a communication module (9), wherein the microcontroller (8) can carry out time synchronization with a signal controller of the LED traffic lights (1) through the signal switching detection module (6). The microcontroller extracts and stores correct working condition characteristics of the traffic lights under a learning mode, and carries out fault detection on the traffic lights through the working condition detection module (7) with 1 second as a cycle under a monitoring mode, capable of detecting faults of power-off, power-on, lattice deletion, messy code, color conflict, timing error of a full screen light, an arrow light, and a countdown light as well as state conflict of different traffic phases at a same intersection and the like. The device provided in the invention can send various real-time fault information of the LED traffic lights to a management centre, conductive to timely maintenance and prevention of faults of the whole traffic lights, thereby guaranteeing safe, orderly and smooth traffic.

A system is provided for monitoring an alertness of an operator of a powered system. The system includes a controller configured to initiate an alert countdown upon determining a lack of input received from the operator during an operation of the powered system. The controller is configured to communicate an alert to the operator during the alert countdown. Additionally, the controller is configured to measure a response time of the operator to the alert. A method is also provided for monitoring an alertness of an operator of a powered system.

The invention discloses a method for adjusting the remaining drying time of a clothes dryer. The clothes dryer is provided with a humidity detection device, a timing device and a time display device. The clothes dryer is provided with a default initial clothes drying time length. The clothes drying process includes a hot air clothes drying stage and a cold air temperature reduction stage, the initial clothes drying time length is reduced gradually in a countdown mode during drying, the humidity detection device detects the humidify value of a load in the hot air clothes drying stage, and when the detected humidity value reaches a set humidity threshold value, the current remaining time is adjusted to be a preset remaining time length corresponding to the remaining time displayed currently. According to the method, remaining drying time is adjusted by comparing the detected humidity value of the load with the preset humidity value, the judgment method is simple, and calculation is accurate.

An electronic data device used for reminding a user of an event, deadline, appointment, or the like. The device includes a housing which contains internal electronic components such as a microprocessor coupled to a data memory. These internal components are electrically coupled to external electronic components of the housing such as an input arrangement, for entering time and/or date data into the data memory, a data entry display for displaying the entry of data into the data memory, and a reminder display for indicating including an array of lights for displaying signals which indicate a continuous countdown of time corresponding to the time and/or date data from the data memory. In one embodiment the device includes an clip attachment mechanism for attaching the device to an article such as a file folder, a refrigerator, or the like.

A tangible invitation card extends an invitation by displaying information with regard to the invitation. A settable real-time clock sets a predetermined time which is displayed on a screen on the invitation card of time remaining to a selected target date for an event or earlier RSVP date related thereto. The card is programmed such that as the target date is approached, one or more visual displays and/or sounds count down and announce the time left to the target date for the RSVP or event. The invitation card is programmed with the necessary information to enable it to perform its reminder mission.

The invention relates to a message prompt method for a web game, which comprises the following steps: displaying message and beginning countdown at the same time; and after certain presentation time, finishing the countdown, and extinguishing the message. The method for message prompt countdown is adopted, and the message automatically disappears after the countdown is finished, so the method avoids closing a message prompt window by using a mouse operation and further completes the user experience of the game. Meanwhile, on the premise of ensuring the function of the game, the method enhances the fluency of the game and reduces the disgust feeling of the user facing the conventional stiff prompt box through a presentation mode of optimizing prompt information.

The invention discloses a traffic light green-wave vehicle speed inducing method and system based on V2I. A data processing unit obtains a speed suggestion value or interval, namely the green-wave vehicle speed, when the real-time distance L of a traffic light and vehicles, the corresponding vehicle speed V, and the display state and countdown time of a traffic light of a downstream crossing are collected by a collecting unit; a display unit displays the display state and countdown state of the traffic light of the downstream crossing and displays the speed suggestion value or interval obtained by the data processing unit; by means of the vehicle-road real-time bidirectional communication under the vehicle-road coordinative environment, through the state of the vehicles and the state of the traffic light of the downstream crossing where the vehicles are driven, the reasonable passing speed of the vehicles is calculated, the average travel time, average delay time and average parking frequency of the vehicles are effectively reduced, the passing capacity of the vehicles can be improved within the green-wave vehicle speed range, and meanwhile the time for waiting for the red light atthe crossing is shortened. The system is simple in structure and convenient to control and greatly improves the passing capacity of the road vehicles.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a multi-thread scheduling method based on a thread pool. The method comprises the steps that a calling process of a thread scheduling function of the thread pool is detected, and stack characteristic information of a calling stack corresponding to the calling process and a target task object are obtained; an operation function of the target task object is detected and called, a counting lock and/or a countdown lock corresponding to the stack characteristics information are/is added to the operation function of the target task object, the locking state of the counting lock and/or the countdown lock is detected, the counting lock is released when the thread number corresponding to the target task object is larger than or equal to the threshold value of the counting lock, and the countdown lock is released after a preset period of time is waited; when the counting lock and/or the countdown lock are/is in the locked state, the execution of the operation function of the target task object is stopped. When the locked state of the counting lock or the countdown lock is released, the operation function of the target task object is executed. By adopting the multi-thread scheduling method, the program crash recurrence rate can be increased.

The invention provides a method, a client and a system for setting a countdown counting function in instant messaging, and belongs to the technical fields of computers and networks. The method comprises the following steps of: acquiring prompting event information which is set for an instant messaging contact by a user in an instant messaging client, wherein the prompting event information comprises prompting event content information and prompting event time information; calculating a remaining time value from time indicated by the prompting event time information to current time according to the prompting event time information acquired by the last step; and displaying the remaining time value obtained by the last time and the prompting event content information to the user corresponding to the instant messaging contact by using the instant messaging client. By the method, the client and the system, the prompting event information which is set for the instant messaging contact by the user can be displayed corresponding to the instant messaging contact in a countdown way by the instant messaging client, so that the aim of timely prompting the user to process a prompting event is fulfilled.

The invention discloses a method for burning after reading instant messaging information. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, packaging burning-after-reading information generated by a sender into a burning-after-reading information envelope which does not show the specific content; further, sending the information envelope to a receiver by the sender; after clicking and triggering the information envelope by the receiver, displaying the specific content of the information through an information window, and meanwhile, starting countdown of information destruction; and finally, completely reading the information, and then locally and automatically deleting the information by the receiver. According to the method provided by the invention, a time bar is provided for reference of reading time limit; when the picture and the long character are read, the finger does not need to contact the content related to the information all the time, the reading sight cannot be influenced and the inconvenience in reading cannot be caused; the reading time can be adaptively adjusted according to the content, so that the receiver has proper and sufficient time for completely reading the information and the user experience can be optimized at all aspects.

An early warning system and method for predicting a failure of a backlight of any display that uses internal illumination, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), digital light processing™ (DLP), or liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS). This display could be a flat screen type or a projector type. A display indicating that failure is imminent within a certain period of time is provided. A countdown display of life remaining may also be provided. Color temperature of the backlight is monitored and compared over time to form the prediction of failure. Measurements may also include measurements of individual components of light, such as the red, green, and blue components. Components may be compared individually over time to detect a color shift that reaches a threshold of prediction failure.