Abstract: A lightweight foot prosthesis is claimed, having a heel, a toe, and a raised instep, an ankle joint incorporated in the foot and capable of motion around each of three perpendicular axes. The foot includes a dorsal member and a plantar member. The prosthesis includes a device for limiting rotation of the ankle joint about at least one of the axes.

Abstract: A rolling cone bit includes at least one cone cutter having a gage row of cutter elements and a first inner row of near but off-gage cutter elements that are positioned so as to divide the sidewall and bottom hole cutting duty so as to enhance bit durability, maintain borehole diameter and improve ROP. The off-gage distance of the first inner row of cutter elements is defined for various bit sizes to optimize the division of cutting duty. The distance that the first inner row of cutter elements are off-gage may be constant for all the cones on the bit or may be varied among the various cones to balance the durability and wear characteristics on all the cones of the bit.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a semiconductor topography. In particular a method is provided in which a greater pressure may be applied to a first portion of a semiconductor topography than in a second portion of the topography. As such, a method is provided in which a portion of an upper layer in a region adjacent to an outer edge of the semiconductor topography is polished at a faster rate than a portion of the upper layer in a region comprising the center of the topography. Consequently, the method may subsequently provide a manner in which a substantially planar upper surface may be formed across a semiconductor topography including a region adjacent to an outer edge of the semiconductor topography. Alternatively, regions of an upper layer of a semiconductor topography polished at a faster rate than other regions may occur at various locations across the topography.

Abstract: A computer system, bus interface unit, and method are provided for securing certain devices connected to an I2C bus. Those devices include any device which contains sensitive information or passwords. For example, a device controlled by a I2C-connected device bay controller may contain sensitive files, data, and information to which improper access may be denied by securing the device bay controller. Moreover, improper accesses to passwords contained in non-volatile memory connected to the I2C bus must also be prevented. A bus interface unit coupled within the computer contains registers, and logic which compares the incoming I2C target and word addresses with coded bits within fields of those registers. If the target or word address is to a protected address or range of addresses, then an unlock signal must be issued before the security control logic will allow the target or word address to access the I2C bus or addressed device thereon.

Abstract: The control device carries out a control of the induction machine based upon a flux estimation performed by means of a Luenberger state observer, the estimation error of which can be defined by means of a matrix having a plurality of eigenvalues, the magnitude of each of which is proportional to the magnitude of a respective pole of the induction machine, and the phase of each of which is rotated with respect to the phase of the corresponding pole of the induction machine by a given angle of rotation.

Abstract: A method for position-selective and material-selective etching of silicon, and examination structures formed using the method, are presented. A semiconductor topography is exposed to an electron beam in the presence of xenon difluoride (XeF2) gas. The beam is scanned over a portion of the semiconductor topography, and silicon portions of the topography contacted by the electron beam and the XeF2 gas are etched. Non-silicon portions, such as dielectrics, metals, and/or metal silicides, are not believed to be etched. Shorter exposure times may be used to remove polycrystalline silicon portions of a topography, while leaving monocrystalline silicon portions intact. Removal of silicon and non-silicon portions of the topography by other means may be used to expose silicon portions of the topography. The electron beam controlled etching recited herein may be used alone or combined with such removal by other means to form examination structures for use in evaluation of semiconductor manufacturing techniques.

Abstract: A method of configuring information for display includes assigning continuum labels to pieces of information, or information units, accessible by a computer system. The continuum labels may be used in arranging the information units into ordered sequences, or continuum arrangements. Criteria for ordering of the information units within the continuum arrangement may include, for example, the level of detail of the subject matter of the information units or the degree to which the subject matter of an information unit is related to that of a reference information unit. Formation of continuum arrangements may be done by entering data into a data structure or rules database, or by a method of using a graphical user interface to establish sequences of icons representing information units. Forming continuum arrangements to configure information may allow display of the information in a form allowing rapid, convenient viewer access to desired pieces of information.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the treating of wells, and more particularly to a method and device that are capable of detecting the position of a fluid interface so that a well treatment can be placed with greater along hole depth precision in a given hydrocarbon producing well than previously. More particularly, an embodiment of the invention includes a method for accurately placing a well treatment fluid in a well, comprising: pumping a first fluid into a first part of the well until an interface is formed between the first fluid and a second fluid; extracting information regarding at least one fluid property of the first and second fluids with first and second to sensors positioned in the first and second fluids respectively; and exchanging information between the first and second sensors and a telemetry unit.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for allowing surprise insertion and removal of a peripheral device from the bays of a portable computer system. The peripheral device may be inserted or removed when the portable computer system is powered off, powered on, or in standby or sleep mode. The peripheral device may be any one of a multitude of devices corresponding to the IDE, ATAPI or FLOPPY standard. Insertion or removal of the device is operating system and BIOS independent. A constantly executing detection process determines when a peripheral device has been inserted into or removed from a bay. A multilevel device driver allows layered functionality and simplified interfacing between the operating system and computer system and peripheral hardware. Layering of the multilevel device driver allows simplified BIOS firmware. Identification and configuration of the peripheral device is handled by a IDE/ATAPI bridge device driver that is capable of recognizing any IDE, ATAPI or FLOPPY device inserted into a bay.

Abstract: Accordingly, an improved pumping system is herein disclosed. In one embodiment, the pumping system includes a subsurface pump, a tubing string, and a surface pumping unit. The subsurface pump is anchored downhole and driven by repeated upward and downward motion of the tubing string. The subsurface pump pumps fluids to the surface via the tubing string. The upward and downward motion of the tubing string is imparted by any suitable surface pumping unit such as, e.g. a beam pumping unit or a hydraulic pumping unit. This pumping system advantageously provides for a minimal number of strings downhole, requiring at most only (1) casing and (2) the production tubing. Accordingly, the well may be drilled using a very slender hole, thereby allowing for sharply reduced drilling and production costs.

Abstract: A computer system includes an adaptive memory arbiter for prioritizing memory access requests, including a self-adjusting, programmable request-priority ranking system. The memory arbiter adapts during every arbitration cycle, reducing the priority of any request which wins memory arbitration. Thus, a memory request initially holding a low priority ranking may gradually advance in priority until that request wins memory arbitration. Such a scheme prevents lower-priority devices from becoming “memory-starved.” Because some types of memory requests (such as refresh requests and memory reads) inherently require faster memory access than other requests (such as memory writes), the adaptive memory arbiter additionally integrates a nonadjustable priority structure into the adaptive ranking system which guarantees faster service to the most urgent requests.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for forming a window of optimum dimensions in casing wall. A window of maximum width is cut when the center line of the mill tool is located inside of the inner diameter of the casing where a maximum amount of casing is drilled away by the mill tool. A whipstock is described which deviates the mill tool outwardly so that the center line of the mill tool is in approximately this position. The whipstock then maintains the mill tool at this approximate location until a window of desired length is cut having a substantially maximum width.

Abstract: A method of configuring information for display includes assigning continuum labels to pieces of information, or information units, accessible by a computer system. The continuum labels may be used in arranging the information units into ordered sequences, or continuum arrangements. Criteria for ordering of the information units within the continuum arrangement may include, for example, the level of detail of the subject matter of the information units or the degree to which the subject matter of an information unit is related to that of a reference information unit. Formation of continuum arrangements may be done by entering data into a data structure or rules database, or by a method of using a graphical user interface to establish sequences of icons representing information units. Forming continuum arrangements to configure information may allow display of the information in a form allowing rapid, convenient viewer access to desired pieces of information.

Abstract: A method and system of quorum negotiation utilizing power mains. Unlike current systems, this communication is provided as a secondary channel, with the primary channel being a standard network system. By using this technique, if the heartbeat is lost over the primary communication system, the secondary, power-mains system can be used to check the heartbeat to validate whether or not the “lost” system is still in operation. If communication cannot be established over the power mains, it is assumed that the “lost” system is down and should be dropped from any cluster.

Abstract: The well reference apparatus and method of the present invention includes a reference member preferably permanently installed within the borehole at a preferred depth and orientation in one trip into the well. The reference member provides a permanent reference for the location of all operations, particularly in a multi-lateral well. The assembly of the present invention includes disposing the reference member on the end of a pipe string. An orienting tool such as an MWD collar is disposed in the pipe string above the reference member. This assembly is lowered into the borehole on the pipe string. Once the preferred depth is attained, the MWD is activated to determine the orientation of the reference member. If the reference member is not oriented in the preferred direction, the pipe string is rotated to align the reference member in the preferred direction. This process is repeated for further corrective action and to verify the proper orientation of the reference member.

Abstract: The present invention is a power distribution assembly for distributing power about a rack mounted server system. In particular, each chassis of a rack mounted server system is provided power through a power distribution assembly that is hinged to a back of the rack of the server system. Each of the power distribution assemblies may be in either an open position or a closed position. In a closed position, each of the power distribution assemblies is rotated to lie very close to a backplane board of a chassis of the server system. In an open position, each of the power distribution assemblies is swung around so that full access may be had to the backplane boards of the chassis in the server system.

Abstract: An underwater well system in which an initially vertical drilling riser conduit (5A) is fixed by a template at the seabed in a non-vertical orientation. Drilling is carried out through wellhead in the template which also includes a valve tree allowing the production fluid to be brought to the surface along a line separate from the drilling riser conduit. The template may be a junction template allowing several wells to be drilled from a single template, or allowing the template to be connected by one or more drilling conduits to further templates such that a wide area of the seabed can be covered for a single drilling riser conduit.

Abstract: A power management scheme for a computer system prioritizes battery charging. The scheme includes determining when the output of a power adapter, which powers a computer and a battery subsystem, has reached or is about to reach a threshold which may be the power budget for the computer system. When this happens, rather than throttling battery charging, the system throttles back an aspect of the computer. Alternatively, after the computer has been throttled back, if the power budget still is being exceeded or is about to be exceeded again, then battery charging can be throttled back. In yet another embodiment, battery charging can be throttled first, followed, if necessary, by computer throttling.

Abstract: The drilling assembly includes an eccentric adjustable diameter blade stabilizer having a housing with a fixed stabilizer blade and a pair of adjustable stabilizer blades. The adjustable stabilizer blades are housed within openings in the stabilizer housing and have inclined surfaces which engage ramps on the housing for camming the blades radially upon their movement axially. The adjustable blades are operatively connected to an extender piston on one end for extending the blades and a return spring at the other end for contracting the blades. The eccentric stabilizer also includes one or more flow tubes through which drilling fluids pass that apply a differential pressure across the stabilizer housing to actuate the extender pistons to move the adjustable stabilizer blades axially upstream to their extended position. The eccentric stabilizer is mounted on a bi-center bit which has an eccentric reamer section and a pilot bit.