Abstract: A computer system for measuring and monitoring local client support activity associated with servicing and supporting a computer by a client is disclosed. The system includes a local client support activity file in the local computer. The local client support activity file preferably records local client support activity. The local client support activity file is further operable to be uploaded when the client contacts a networked support center using the local computer. The system may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of local support utilities and support center utilities.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for coupling a communication signal to a communication device includes a backplane, having first and second sides, and a connector, adapted to receive the communication signal, coupled to the backplane on the first side. The connector has a first set of conductive pins that extend through the first side of the backplane and protrude out the second side of the backplane. A portion of the first set of conductive pins is adapted to receive a line card connector formed with a plurality of contact cavities. The system further includes a guide member operable to guide a line card into the line card connector.

Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a non-volatile memory on an integrated circuit that has several memory cells. The cells each have a voltage state and a gate. A gate bias circuit on the integrated circuit is coupled to the gates of the memory cells. The gate bias circuit includes at least a read voltage and a margin voltage. A detection circuit on the integrated circuit is coupled to the cells. The detection circuit includes a comparator and a reference voltage. The reference voltage and the voltage state of one of the cells are coupled to the comparator. The detection circuit includes an output generating a signal corresponding to the comparator output. The integrated circuit includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit is coupled to the output of the detection circuit and determines whether the voltage state of the cell transitions between application of the read and margin voltages to the gate.

Abstract: Improved method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface that substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with previous systems and methods. In particular, the present invention provides an articulated well with a drainage pattern that intersects a horizontal cavity well. The drainage patterns provide access to a large subterranean area from the surface while the vertical cavity well allows entrained water, hydrocarbons, and other deposits to be efficiently removed and/or produced.

Abstract: A system for restricting access to environmental circuits of a computer system. In one embodiment, the environmental circuits are accessible via a serial computer bus that conforms to a system management (SM) specification. I/O accesses to I/O registers assigned to a bus controller of the bus are trapped, wherein an interrupt such as a system management interrupt (SMI) is generated to invoke an interrupt handler that determines whether the I/O access corresponds to a restricted circuit access. If the I/O access corresponds to a restricted circuit access, then the interrupt handler prevents the circuit access from occurring. In one embodiment, I/O accesses to the I/O control register assigned to the bus controller are trapped. The interrupt handler determines whether a circuit access is restricted by reading the contents of the I/O address register and I/O command register assigned to the bus controller.

Abstract: An injector for an injection system of an internal combustion engine, with an injector head (1), a nozzle (13) for injecting fuel, a control unit (12) for controlling the transfer of fuel from the injector head (1) to the nozzle (13) and an actuator (6) for the mechanical activation of the control unit (12) in order to control fuel injection, an injector housing (2), which receives at least the control unit (12), being integrally formed on the injector head (1) at the bottom.

Abstract: A system and method for providing one or more detachable components for a computer system are disclosed. The system and method allow for simplified customization of a user's computer system. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include a housing component at least partially defining an exterior surface of the computer system. The housing component may have at least one mounting finger, which may be a pin like protrusion or an elongated and flat extension. The mounting finger may extend from the housing component and be formed to define a locking shoulder. The system may also include a detachable component having a mounting tab. The mounting tab may interact with the locking shoulder to releasably couple the detachable component to the housing component.

Abstract: A method for communicating data to and from a direct current local area network (DC LAN) in an automobile includes receiving data from a first device that is coupled to the DC LAN. The data received from the first device has a first data format associated with a first lower level communication protocol that is appropriate for the DC LAN. The method also includes determining that a destination address included in the data identifies a second device in the automobile. The second device does not use the first lower level communication protocol for communication of data. The method further includes converting the data to a second data format associated with a second lower level communication protocol that is appropriate for the second device. In addition, the method includes communicating the data in the second data format to the second device using the second lower level communication protocol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a dilithiated initiator usable in anionic polymerization, a process for the preparation by anionic polymerization of a living diene elastomer which is provided with a carbon-lithium group at each of its chain ends, and a process for the preparation of a copolymer having three blocks starting from said living diene elastomer. The process for the preparation of a dilithiated initiator according to the invention involves of reacting a first reagent, a dialkenyl benzene, and a second reagent, secondary butyllithium, in the presence of a diamine, in an aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbon solvent, such that the ratio of the number of moles of first reagent to the number of moles of second reagent is substantially equal to 0.5, so that the initiator obtained is essentially a bi-adduct resulting from the addition of a molecule of secondary butyllithium to each of the two double bonds in the dialkenyl benzene.

Abstract: A display assembly for edible and non-edible objects includes a display base having a display base upper end and a display base lower end and at least one display base wall connecting the display base upper end and the display base lower end. The display assembly also includes at least one rod support integrally mounted to the at least one display base wall. Each rod support includes a rod support upper end, a rod support lower end, and at least one rod support wall connecting the rod support upper end and the rod support lower end. The rod support wall defines a rod support cavity passing through the rod support upper end and the rod support lower end. The display assembly also includes a rod positioned in the rod support cavity. The rod includes a rod end extending from the display base. An object is attached to the rod end.

Abstract: A two-dimensional optical switch (10) includes a hermetically sealed housing (41) cooperable with several input fibers (11-18) and several output fibers (21-28). A digital micromirror device (71) is disposed within the housing, and can selectively effect travel of radiation between each input fiber and any one of the output fibers. The housing includes two lens sections (56, 57), which each have a platelike support portion (106), and several lens portions (111-118) of approximately semi-spherical shape that project from the inner side of the support portion. Each of the input fibers is fixedly secured to an outer side of one lens section in alignment with a respective lens portion thereon, and each of the output fibers is fixedly secured to the outside of the other lens section in alignment with a respective lens portion thereon.

Abstract: The fish hook 10 further comprises a hook-closing element 18 which is in the form of a length of resiliently flexible stainless steel wire which has a hairpin bend therein at 20, to form the hook hook-closing element with limbs 22.1 and 22.2 on opposite sides of the bend. Limbs 22.1 and 22.2 may be connected at a free end 25 of hook-closing element 18. Moreover, each limb 22.1, 22.2 has two mounting ends 24 thereof bent through right angles, the ends extending towards one another and being offset with respect to one another. Each of the ends 24 is received in a corresponding transversely extending hole 26 in the shank head 16. When the hook-closing element 18 is in the position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 it is in a strained condition, urging free end 25 thereof towards the tip of the hook formation 14.

Abstract: A method and system for processing an amorphous silicon thin film sample to produce a large grained, grain boundary-controlled silicon thin film. The film sample includes a first edge and a second edge. In particular, using this method and system, an excimer laser is used to provide a pulsed laser beam, and the pulse laser beam is masked to generate patterned beamlets, each of the patterned beamlets having an intensity which is sufficient to melt the film sample. The film sample is continuously scanned at a first constant predetermined speed along a first path between the first edge and the second edge with the patterned beamlets. In addition, the film sample is continuously scanned at a second constant predetermined speed along a second path between the first edge and the second edge with the patterned beamlets.

Abstract: A node controller (12) includes a processor interface unit (24) that receives an interrupt signal (50). The processor interface unit (24) includes a register (52) with a forward enable bit (54). In response to the forward enable bit (54) being set, the processor interface unit (24) generates a forward interrupt signal (56) for transfer to an input/output interface unit (26) of the node controller (12). The input/output interface unit (26) generates an interrupt request for transfer to a remote node controller. The input/output interface unit (26) includes an interrupt destination register (58) that includes an identity of a particular remote node controller and associated processor interface unit to which the interrupt request is to be transferred. The remote node controller having a processor attached thereto to handle the interrupt request.

Abstract: A method for managing a distribution facility may include a step of receiving descriptions of multiple orders from an order-management subsystem. A determination may be made that a particular order among the multiple orders is currently fillable, based the descriptions from the order-management subsystem. In response, shipping rate information may be obtained by automatically communicating with a rate subsystem. The particular order may be automatically assigned to a carrier, based on the information from the rate subsystem. In response, a transportation subsystem may automatically be caused to transport items for the particular order to one or more distribution stations.

Abstract: A method and system for integrated support for solving problems with personal computer systems comprises monitoring operating system functionality to determine if a computer system failure exists, to identify the computer system failure and to provide a solution of the computer system failure. A robust user interface, including a simple-to-use user button interface, supports single touch user input to indicate a computer system problem or question. Watchdog timers compare the time of hardware and operating system functionality, such as boot sequence operation, against predetermined time periods to determine whether or not a computer failure exists. A computer system failure is determined if a watchdog timer expires upon completion of a predetermined time period without being cleared. A hardware problem is identified on initial boot if the watchdog timer is not cleared by an operating system service routine.

Abstract: A method and system for updating the colorimetric characteristics of a flat panel display over the display's entire lifetime. An advantage of the present invention is that the useful life and the color accuracy of a flat panel display can be extended. In one embodiment of the invention, an initial set of luminance data of a flat panel monitor is programmed into addressable memory locations within that monitor. Thereafter, the luminance output of the lamps of the flat panel monitor is tracked with luminance or colorimetric measuring devices. According to the present invention, the luminance data are used in determining the correlation between voltage settings of the lamps and the color characteristics of the display such as color temperature. By measuring the luminance of the display periodically, a precise and accurate color profile of the flat panel display can be maintained.

Abstract: An interferometer receives an input optical signal and outputs a signal after changing at least the dispersion of said signal. At least portions of the interferometer are adjustable to adjust at least a first dispersion parameter. Examples of dispersion parameters which are adjustable include dispersion magnitude, center wavelengths and waveshapes or slopes. Preferably the dispersion in the output signal is substantially reduced or substantially eliminated, compared to the dispersion of the input signal. By providing for adjustability of one or more dispersion parameters, a dispersion compensator can be appropriately adjusted for use in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A piston for use in a fluid displacement apparatus includes a head portion and a connecting portion. The head portion has a cylindrical shape and a hollow structure. The head portion comprises an end portion and a cylindrical portion. The end portion fixedly connected to the cylindrical portion. The connecting portion extends from an end surface of the cylindrical portion and couples the piston with a moving source. A pair of apertures are formed through the end surface of the cylindrical portion adjacent to connecting portion. A rib is formed between the pair of apertures. The strength of a circumference portion of the apertures may be increased by the rib. As a result, when the fluid displacement apparatus is operated under a high load, the occurrence of cracks at the circumference portion(s) of the aperture(s) may be reduced or eliminated.