Abstract: A money laundering prevention program administered by a financial institution. A plurality of risk factors associated with a potential for conducting illicit activities in connection with an account held at the financial institution are identified. The risk factors include jurisdiction-based risk factors, entity type-based risk factors, and/or business type-based risk factors. The risk factors are ranked and, based on the rank, each of the risk factors is assigned to a tier. Each of the tiers represents a level of risk that illicit activities will be conducted in connection with the account.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for single disc arthroplasty and multi-segmental spine replacement. The implant assembly includes a first cage (20) adapted to be rigidly attached to a first vertebra, a second cage (20) adapted to be rigidly attached to a second vertebrae, and a spinal disc replacement prosthesis (10) positioned between the first and second vertebrae. The spinal disc replacement prosthesis preferably includes a resilient body having two or more adjustable fluid-filled compartments.

Abstract: A spark plug capable of removing the remaining electric charges is proposed. The spark plug can be installed in a vehicle and has an insulating body, a center electrode, a conductive housing and a conductive wire. The center electrode is passed through the insulating body. The conductive housing is disposed outside the insulating body. One end of the conductive wire is connected to the conductive housing and the other end of the conductive wire is fixed on a negative electrode of a battery of the vehicle. Since the electric charges remaining in the spark plug can be removed by the conductive wire after the high-voltage current sent from the ignition system induces the sparks, the present invention can avoid the damage of the spark plug to keep the spark plug in good status, maintain the efficiency of the engine, and make the car safer in usage.

Abstract: To communicate requirements for a digital license from a receiver of corresponding digital content to a computing device upon which the digital content is to be rendered, the receiver tunes the content and locates within the content information relating to the requirements for the license, constructs the requirements from the located information, and sends such constructed requirements to the computing device. The computing device upon receiving the sent requirements constructs the license based on such received requirements, stores such constructed license in a license store of such computing device, and thereafter renders the content only in accordance with the license. Thus, the receiver need not communicate the license itself to the computing device.

Abstract: A spark plug capable of removing the remaining electric charges is proposed. The spark plug can be installed in a vehicle and has an insulating body, a center electrode, a conductive housing and a conductive wire. The center electrode is passed through the insulating body. The conductive housing is disposed outside the insulating body. One end of the conductive wire is connected to the conductive housing and the other end of the conductive wire is fixed on a negative electrode of a battery of the vehicle. Since the electric charges remaining in the spark plug can be removed by the conductive wire after the high-voltage current sent from the ignition system induces the sparks, the present invention can avoid the damage of the spark plug to keep the spark plug in good status, maintain the efficiency of the engine, and make the car safer in usage.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention's a system for tracking and managing data over a computer network including a plurality of application computers each operating a computer software application program is provided, comprising a key master (106, 108); a system startup module (100) connected to the key master (106, 108); a gatekeeper (102) connected to the system startup module (100); as task manager (122, 124, 126, 128's 130) connected to the key master (106, 108) and the gatekeeper (102); a central database (112, 114, 116) connected to the gatekeeper (102); a plurality of agents (132, 134, 136, 138, 140) connected to the task manager; a plurality of sub-agents (142, 144, 146, 148, 150) independently connected to the plurality of agents (132, 134, 136, 138, 140) and the plurality of application computers (152, 154,156, 158, 160); and an alert dispatcher (104) connected to the system startup module (100) and the gatekeeper (102).

Abstract: A power converter for operating with an alternate current power source, including a storage capacitive means and a transformer, said storage capacitive means being adapted for power factor correction, said transformer including an input for connecting to an alternating current power source and at least a first output and a second output respectively for connecting to said storage capacitive means and the load, said transformer including input windings, first output windings and second output windings which are respectively connected to said input, said first and second outputs wherein said transformer and said storage capacitive means being adapted that the voltage across said storage capacitive means being related to the voltage of said first output of said transformer.

Abstract: A system and related techniques automatically monitor browser and other sessions to detect the onset of a popup or other automatically generated windows or media. When a popup object is detected, a filter or engine may examine the content of that object to generate an estimate of the desirability of the popup to the user. The content-based evaluation of the popup may examine, for instance, the source of the popup, the type or quantity of embedded image files, text including keywords, embedded links and a variety of other factors to assess the likelihood that the popup was related to the user's legitimate browser activity or otherwise likely to be desired by the user. If not, the platform may suppress the popup or other object without user intervention. In embodiments, the content analysis may be performed by a self-learning network such as a neural network, for instance based on stored feedback from a collection of users, or otherwise.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for semiconductor processing is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of transporting a wafer within a cluster tool, comprises placing the wafer into a first segment of a vacuum enclosure, the vacuum enclosure being attached to a processing chamber and a factory interface. The wafer is transported to a second segment of the vacuum enclosure using a vertical transport mechanism, wherein the second segment is above or below the first segment.

Abstract: A magnetic core is made of a composite magnetic material having a relative permeability of between 1 and 29 at a frequency range from 20 kHz to 2.5 MHz. The composite magnetic material consists of cobalt and nickel particles having an average diameter in the range of 1 to 100 micrometers, and a polymer base binding the particles to form a core.

Abstract: A resistance induction wire layout on a touch panel includes a substrate, a first resistance induction wire, a second resistance induction wire, a third resistance induction wire, a fourth resistance induction wire and a fifth resistance induction wire. The substrate has a first surface being coated with a conductive material. The first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth resistance induction wires are laid on the conductive material in a way of being arranged discontinuosly. When a voltage signal entering the touch panel from one of the four nodal points can be reached to each sector of the fifth resistance inducting wire via the first, the second, the third and the fourth resistance inducting wires such that each of the sectors can acquire a consistent voltage value.

Abstract: A personal and peripheral data communication device is provided to communicate data in a real-time fashion with a host. The device distinguishes two different modes. The first mode is an active data mode to enter data or retrieve previously entered data. The second mode is a responsive data mode to enter data or retrieve previously entered data. The responsive data mode is triggered on the device by the host or by an application running on the host. Data can be stored on the device and securely protected against unauthorized access by biometric and/or non-biometric means. Data can also be authenticated or secured by cryptography via biometric and/or non-biometric means prior to transmission to the host. The device can be used with a variety of different hosts, and is irrespective of the operating system running on the host or type of application with which the device desires to communicate.

Abstract: A multiple test probe system is disclosed. The multiple test probe system includes a support and a mount pivotally coupled to the support. The mount is capable of pivoting to a number of testing positions. A number of probe assemblies are coupled to the mount and associated with a corresponding number of testing positions. The probe assemblies include a number of electrical contacts coupled to a number of wires in a probe bus regardless of a testing position of the mount. The multiple test probe system further includes an indexing device coupled to the mount to cause the mount to move between the testing positions, whereby the indexing device is a Geneva Mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides new ways to securely backup and restore a user's portable biometrics-based authentication device without compromising the secrecy thereof. A two-tier backup encryption structure allows the decryption of lower tier data only when upper tier data has been decrypted and validated.

Abstract: A resistance induction wire layout on a touch panel includes a substrate, a first resistance induction wire, a second resistance induction wire, a third resistance induction wire, a fourth resistance induction wire and a fifth resistance induction wire. The substrate has a first surface being coated with a conductive material. The first, the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth resistance induction wires are laid on the conductive material in a way of being arranged discontinuously. The first resistance induction wire provides four nodal points at the periphery of the first surface for being added with a voltage or grounded. The second resistance induction wire is disposed next to the inner side of the first resistance induction wire and has a route meeting the first resistance induction wire. The third resistance induction wire is disposed next to the inner side of the second resistance induction wire and has a route meeting the second resistance induction wire.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided that includes a fingerprint sensor and a guiding means. The sensing site of the fingerprint sensor makes a relative and obtuse angle with a guiding plane of the guiding means. The relative position of the guiding means with the fingerprint sensor allows for a more natural and ergonomically advantageous manner in obtaining a fingerprint. The task of reproducing a fingerprint now comes down to a pointing task of the fingertip to a guiding means. In addition, the relative position of the fingerprint sensor with the guiding means increases the reproducibility and reliability of fingerprint biometrics and authentication. Furthermore, the guiding means can be used as guidance but also as a sensor or actuator to initiate a process upon positive verification of the obtained fingerprint or to trigger the process of obtaining the fingerprint itself.

Abstract: An authentication system and method are provided that offer greater degree of flexibility in using authentication devices while maintaining a high level of security. Roughly three parts of organization are distinguished. At the first part, an arbiter defines a plurality of authentication levels. Each authentication level distinguishes one or more authentication factors. At the second part, an authorizer selects an access authentication level from the defined plurality of authentication levels. At the third part, it is requested from an authorizee to communicate via a portable authentication device the selected access authentication level in order for the authorizee to be authorized said access. Greater flexibility is provided to an authorizer in selecting an access authentication level within the definitions set by an arbiter.

Abstract: A multiple test probe system is disclosed. The multiple test probe system includes a support and a mount pivotally coupled to the support. The mount is capable of pivoting to a number of testing positions. A number of probe assemblies are coupled to the mount and associated with a corresponding number of testing positions. The probe assemblies include a number of electrical contacts coupled to a number of wires in a probe bus regardless of a testing position of the mount. The multiple test probe system further includes an indexing device coupled to the mount to cause the mount to move between the testing positions, whereby the indexing device is a multiple linear actuator assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bar circuit for reducing cross talk and eddy current of an integrated circuit. The bar circuit comprises a semiconductor substrate with a first conductivity type; a strip of first well with a second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate; and a strip of second well with the second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate. The strip of second well is located below and adjacent to the strip of first well, whereby forms a junction barrier for reducing the cross talk and the eddy current.

Abstract: A workpiece loading interface is included within a workpiece processing system which processes workpieces, typically wafers, in a vacuum. The workpiece loading interface includes two separate chambers. Each chamber may be separately pumped down. Thus, while a first cassette of wafers, from a first chamber is being accessed, a second cassette of wafers may be loaded in the second chamber and the second chamber pumped down. Each chamber is designed to minimize intrusion to a clean room. Thus a door to each chamber has a mechanism which, when opening the door, first moves the door slightly away from an opening in the chamber and then the door is moved down parallel to the chamber. After the door is opened, a cassette of wafers is lowered through the opening in a motion much like a drawbridge. The cassette may be pivoted within the chamber when the position from which wafers are accessed from the cassette differs from the position from which the cassette is lowered out of the chamber.