Abstract: A structure is provided for a user-manipulable input device, such as an in-keyboard, joystick-type device, for allowing a user to provide input to a computer graphical user interface (GUI). The structure includes a user-manipulable, articulating member, and a plurality of stationary, electrically conductive sensors. The articulating member also has an electrically conductive member. The physical disposition of the articulating member and the sensors provides narrow gaps, across which are measurable capacitances. As the user manipulates the articulating member, the capacitances change in value. Circuitry produces signals related to the capacitances, and the signals are processed, according to a transfer function, to generate GUI input signals. The sensors are preferably sensing electrodes, incorporated into a circuit board. The articulating member is preferably a cone-shaped member, having a conductive surface which faces the sensors.

Abstract: A lancet assembly having a lancet holder and a triggler enclosing a lancet structure. The triggler is partially inserted into a lancet holder from the distal end. The holder is provided with a rigid internal spring holder to receive the spring-loaded lancet structure. The lancet structure is provided with a body coupled to a spring which extend from the proximal end of the body. The spring has a linear axis of compression which coincide with the longitudinal axis of the lancet assembly. A lancet is attached to the body with the sharp tip pointing towards the distal end. The triggler interacts with the lancet holder via a triggering element to maintain the spring in a compressed state such that the lancet structure is in a stable standby position which is not easily triggered by accidental bumps on the assembly.

Abstract: A system and method of distributed metadata searching is disclosed. The present invention permits an extension of the searching and retrieval functions of existing Internet web search engines by utilizing computational resources embodied in user computer systems and search browsers. By distributing the searching and scanning functions to the user level, the present invention reduces the computational and communications burden on Internet web search engines and crawlers, resulting in lower computational resource utilization by Internet search engine providers. Given the exponential growth rate currently being experienced in the Internet community, the present invention provides one of the few methods by which complete searches of this vast distributed database may be performed.

Abstract: A glass tapping tool for tapping glass and breaking glass along a score-line that has been previously cut. In one embodiment, the tool comprises a hollow tube with a first end and a second end. A stationary striking member is attached to the first end of the tube for tapping a piece of glass which has been previously cut along a score-line. Mounted inside the tube is a slidable hammer with a first end and a second end. The slidable hammer is mounted so that the second end of the slidable hammer protrudes outside the second end of the hollow tube. Elastically coupled the stationary striking member with the slidable hammer is a spring.

Abstract: An electroplating chamber that allows substrates such as wafers to be effectively plated with the plating surface facing upwards. A method of reducing non-uniformity in the electroplating process is also disclosed. The chamber includes a bottom and a cover. The bottom contains a sidewall, an opening on top and securing means for securing substrates into the chamber during the plating process. At least one electrode retaining element is provided having at least one first electrode extending therefrom. The electrode retaining element is movable between an operating position and a release position. The cover contains a second electrode held above the substrate by an electrode holder.

Abstract: Process for producing electrical connections on the surface of a semiconductor package containing an integrated-circuit chip and having metal electrical-connection regions on the surface of the package, consisting of: covering these connection regions with a first metal layer forming an anti-diffusion barrier; covering this first layer with an anti-oxidation second metal layer; and depositing a metal solder drop or solder ball on the second metal layer. The solder drop comprises an addition of metal particles in suspension which contain at least one of the metals of the first metal layer so as to produce a precipitate comprising these additional metal particles and at least partly the metal of the second metal layer, the precipitate remaining in suspension in the solder drop.

Abstract: In a search engine server, a method for searching for data in a data network comprising hyperlinked pages comprising the steps of (1) receiving an initial set of network addresses for pages in the data network; (2) receiving a non-negative integer, N, specifying a chain length; (3) receiving a set of at least one search argument comprising search criteria; and (4) performing a search wherein all pages linked to said initial set of addresses by a chain of distance less than or equal to N are examined for compliance with the search criteria, and all pages meeting such criteria are returned as successful objects of the search. According to optional embodiments, the foregoing method can be implemented as a computer readable medium with instructions for performing the above steps, as an application program, or a browser resident at an end user's computer system. It is also possible to implement as a special purpose information handling system.

Abstract: A method for searching for data in a data network comprising hyperlinked pages comprising the steps of (1) receiving an initial set of network addresses for pages in the data network; (2) receiving a non-negative integer, N, specifying a chain length; (3) receiving a set of at least one search argument comprising search criteria; and (4) performing a search wherein all pages linked to said initial set of addresses by a chain of distance less than or equal to N are examined for compliance with the search criteria, and all pages meeting such criteria are returned as successful objects of the search. According to optional embodiments, the foregoing method can be implemented as a computer readable medium with instructions for performing the above steps, as an application program, or a browser resident at an end user's computer system. It is also possible to implement as a special purpose information handling system.

Abstract: Electronic circuit comprising a first and a second current mirrors, an upstream active element arranged between an input of the first current mirror and an input of the second current mirror, each current mirror being provided with an output. The circuit comprises a first current source arranged in parallel with the input of the first current mirror and a second current source arranged in parallel with the input of the second current mirror, so that the current delivered to the active element is equal to the output current of each current mirror and that the input current of each current mirror is less than the current delivered to the active element by the input of each current mirror and by the associated current source.

Abstract: A cluster system controls the interface properties of the films that deposit or grow on a silicon substrate. The system comprises a plurality of horizontal quartz chamber or tubes each of which can hold a large quantity of wafers, a transfer chamber and a load/unload chamber. Several process steps can be executed sequentially in different tubes without intermediate exposure to ambient air. A transfer chamber connects them and allows wafer transportation from one tube to another in an absolute controlled UHV environment which limits any contamination such as H2O, to less than a monolayer level. In addition, each tube can be pumped down to UHV pressure regime to avoid further cross contamination between tubes or particle generation. Since some of the process requires elevated temperature, all wafers are placed vertically on the quartz boat to prevent any wafer sagging as in a vertical furnace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to determine and correct track spacing during self-servowriting on a rotating recording medium. The recording medium comprising a plurality of tracks, wherein each track comprises a plurality of sectors, and a transducer mounted on an actuator arm pivotally coupled to a voice coil motor (VCM). The actuator arm is positioned by a servo. The method comprising the steps of: servowriting the at least one of the plurality of sectors with a servo pattern consisting of recorded transitions. The servowriting is performed on one more tracks within the sectors where the number of tracks being servowritten is less than total number of tracks that fills the rotating medium. The transducer is positioned relative to the rotating recording medium to a preselected radial position over a previously servowritten area of the rotating recording medium that has one or more previously recorded transitions.

Abstract: A system for time-correlated photon counting. The system uses one or more photon detectors to produce electrical pulses corresponding to photons read from a target. The system uses a discriminator with a first input coupled to a trigger output from a pulsed optical source and a second input for receiving the electrical pulses. A time-to-pulse height converter is used for producing a series of difference signals each with a respective maxima and whose magnitude is related to the time difference between the trigger output and the electrical pulses. In addition, the system employs a pulse shaping electronic circuit for receiving pulsed electrical output and producing a series of one or more characteristic signals. An A/D converter with a first input receives the difference signals and a second input receives part of the characteristic signals.

Abstract: An accurate current source with an adjustable temperature dependence. This type of current source is used in silicon Integrated Circuit (IC) designs requiring supporting reference-voltage sources and/or reference-current sources which may be designed with or without temperature dependence. The circuit generates an accurate current with temperature independence along with another accurate current source with temperature dependence using only one precision external resistors. For the temperature-dependent current source, the temperature dependence can be controlled by setting a temperature dependence factor (TDF).

Abstract: A method for controlling subscription services delivered to a user by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) coupled to an Automated Intelligent Network (AIN) telephone system with at least one central office switching system. An intelligent peripheral subsystem is connected to the central office switching system, via a call connection channel. The intelligent peripheral subsystem providing at least one auxiliary call processing capability via the call connection channel and provides a telephony speaker authentication method for selectively authorizing updates to user subscription services types provided by the ISP, wherein each of the subscription services types include one or more service options.

Abstract: A method to retrieve data in a information processing unit. The method comprises: creating a pointer into a database based on a category for data to be retrieved, determining if an application running on the information processing unit is running in an online mode where the information processing unit is coupled to a database server or if the application is running in an offline mode where the information processing unit is not coupled to the database server; and retrieving at least part of the data using the pointer to the database when the application is running in an online mode. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium can include instructions to program data processing apparatus to carry out the above method.

Abstract: Methods and systems for designing a Web page, to be hosted on a Web page server. The development applications provide an object-oriented, template-driven interface for a customer or merchant to utilize in the design of a Web page or a complete Web site. The Web site produced allows the merchant to become a part of a distributed electronic commerce system or Internet commerce system for doing business on the World Wide Web. The design tool can be implemented in a Java application or applet.

Abstract: A method for processing time-resolved optical emission data (“waveforms”) comprises processing both a first and a second waveform, and analyzing the results. The processing uses a substantial portion of the waveform and not merely the peaks of the waveform. A system which implements the method, and a computer readable medium which contains instructions for implementing the method, are also disclosed. The embodiments disclose methods for analyzing time-resolved optical emission data using correlation and/or transform techniques on the optical waveforms to extract timing information. The techniques offer more accurate results than direct examination of the waveforms and are additionally useful in tests having high noise or low numbers of detected photons. The techniques allow significant automation and the results lend themselves to graphic display.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method of selecting a determined access line of a serial access type integrated circuit memory, a determined access line being selectable among a determined group of access lines (AL0-AL7) of the same nature, for example a group of bit lines or a group of word lines, a line code on p bits being respectively associated to each access line of the group, which consists in pre-activating all the access lines of the group, then ofdeactivating progressively the other access lines as a function of the bits (Ai) of the line code of the access line to select received in series via the serial data input of the memory such that, in the end, only the access line to be selected remains activated.

Abstract: A method to resize an image on a server comprising the steps of: hosting multimedia content on a server, wherein said server is coupled to one or more client systems capable of rendering multimedia content, wherein said multimedia content includes at least one image; receiving user requests to transmit user selected multimedia content; determining the display size directives of each image referenced on said user selected multimedia content; scaling said image referenced to the size specified in said multimedia content; and transmitting said user selected multimedia content with said image scaled to said size directive. A server for hosting multimedia content is electrically connected to one or more client systems for rendering multimedia content.

Abstract: A socket contact with Kelvin contact for the testing of IC devices comprising a plurality of conducting strip sets embedded across a non-conducting base. Each strip set includes two pairs of electrodes. Two pairs of electrodes are designed such that each pair functions to contact one of the two corresponding leads of an IC device. Within the pair, one electrode forms a connection between the IC lead and the tester, and the other electrode provides a Kelvin contact.