Abstract: Characteristics of a chemical or biological sample are detected using an approach involving light detection. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an assaying arrangement including a light detector is adapted to detect light from a sample, such as a biological material. A signal corresponding to the detected light is used to characterize the sample, for example, by detecting a light-related property thereof. In one implementation, the assaying arrangement includes integrated circuitry having a light detector and a programmable processor, with the light detector generating a signal corresponding to the light and sending the signal to the processor. The processor provides an output corresponding to the signal and indicative of a characteristic of the sample.

Abstract: Power-backup capabilities are provided by implementing a variety of different methods, systems and devices. According to one such implementation, an energy storage circuit is powered using a variable voltage controlled to limit the current draw from a power supply, to charge the energy storage circuit for providing backup power to a solid state drive (SSD) type of data storage arrangement. Certain applications involve controlling the power draw from the power supply, in response to feedback and/or power drawn from other circuits, as may be applicable to an initial startup of the energy storage circuit and/or the initial startup of a larger system in which the energy storage circuit is employed.

Abstract: Audio signals are processed in a manner that facilitates control for overpower conditions. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an audio processing circuit is configured and arranged for controlling an output audio signal as a function of an output power and/or clip condition. The audio processing circuit is adapted to approximate output power from an amplifier independent from output load and varying line conditions. When an overpower and/or clip condition is approximated, a signal is generated to reduce the output power by, e.g., reducing the signal gain and/or disconnecting the output.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to optical microcavities and emitters that are spectrally aligned in an arrangement having an array of such microcavity-emitter combinations. The spectral alignment can be selective, in that a portion of the array of microcavity-emitter combinations, or a single microcavity-emitter combination, can be individually spectrally aligned. In specific examples, light is coupled within a semiconductor device having wavelength-dependent structures and optical cavities optically couple to the wavelength-dependent structures. One of the optical cavities and a wavelength-dependent structure are spectrally aligned, independent of another of the optical cavities.

Abstract: Systems, methods, devices and apparatus are implemented for producing controllable charged particle beams. In one implementation, an apparatus provides a deflection force to a charged particle beam. A source produces an electromagnetic wave. A structure, that is substantially transparent to the electromagnetic wave, includes a physical structure having a repeating pattern with a period L and a tilted angle ?, relative to a direction of travel of the charged particle beam, the pattern affects the force of the electromagnetic wave upon the charged particle beam. A direction device introduces the electromagnetic wave to the structure to provide a phase-synchronous deflection force to the charged particle beam.

Abstract: A method for the duplication of microscopic patterns from a master to a substrate is disclosed, in which a replica of a topographic structure on a master is formed and transferred when needed onto a receiving substrate using one of a variety of printing or imprint techniques, and then dissolved. Additional processing steps can also be carried out using the replica before transfer, including the formation of nanostructures, microdevices, or portions thereof. These structures are then also transferred onto the substrate when the replica is transferred, and remain on the substrate when the replica is dissolved. This is a technique that can be applied as a complementary process or a replacement for various lithographic processing steps in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other microdevices.

Abstract: A light emitter for a traffic control preemption system. The emitter includes a plurality of groups of infrared (IR) LEDs and a power source coupled to the groups of LEDs. A plurality of controlled current sources is coupled to the plurality of groups of LEDs, respectively. A controller is configured to trigger an IR light pulse pattern from the groups of LEDs and maintain a first level of IR radiant power from the groups of LEDs using individual control of respective current levels to the groups of LEDs in response to current sense levels from the groups of LEDs. The pulse pattern and first level of IR radiant power activate preemption in the traffic control preemption system.

Abstract: Packet-based delivery of video content is facilitated using a peer-to-peer network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a packet-based video stream is passed over a peer-to-peer network, with the packets in the stream scheduled and delivered in accordance with a priority assigned to the packets; this priority is based upon a determined or estimated effect that the packet will have upon video quality at a recipient peer. In some applications, the packets are temporally spaced to mitigate congestion and/or distortion of video associated with congestion in the delivery of the packets.

Abstract: Transaction management for contract and contract-related approaches is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a transaction management system automatically sets contract terms including currency conversion terms for a transaction based on business rules previously established between parties to a transaction. In one implementation, the transaction management node automatically derives a contract term including a pricing-related term for a transaction between a buyer and seller using contract information therefor. The pricing-related term is used to set a price for the transaction, and a currency conversion term is used to convert the set price (or a portion of the set price corresponding to a particular transaction party) into a different currency.

Abstract: Various approaches for a traffic control preemption system that includes a receiver, a light emitter, and control circuitry. The receiver includes a photodetector and circuitry that produces a number of electrical pulses in response to each detected light pulse. For each detected light pulse the number of electrical pulses represents a level of radiant power of the light pulse, and a threshold number of electrical pulses and an activation frequency at which the threshold number of electrical pulses is repeated activates preemption. The control circuitry is coupled to the light emitter and controls the light emitter to emit bursts of light pulses. Each burst includes at least two light pulses and a frequency of light pulses in each burst and a frequency of the bursts cause the receiver to produce at least the threshold number of electrical pulses at the activation frequency and activate the preemption.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a financial institution account with a transaction card used as a deferred-debit transaction card and as an automated banking card, wherein debit transactions are stored by a managing computer system for a billing cycle without being automatically debited against the account until after debit transaction activity. In certain instances, this is not until after the activity for the billing cycle is reported to the holder of the account. Also, a limited time period is provided relative to the billing cycle, for the user to provide funds as consideration for payment against the transaction card purchases without an automatic debiting of available funds as full consideration for payment against the deferred-debit purchases. Before the limited time period lapses, the available amount useful for additional purchases can be increased.

Abstract: Transaction processing is facilitated using an approach for automatically grouping transaction-based documents as a function of matching data in the documents. In one example embodiment of the present invention, data from selected attribute fields in transaction-based documents is parsed as the documents are received at a transaction processor. When data in selected attribute fields from two or more documents match, the transaction processor automatically groups the documents having matching data under a particular anchor identification code defined as a function of the match. Upon receipt of one or more other transaction-based documents, the transaction processor advances progress towards completion of the common transaction to which the documents apply. With this approach, predefined data (e.g., a purchase order number) need not necessarily be included with a particular transaction document in order to group the document with another document belonging to the same common transaction.

Abstract: An e-commerce method involving on-line viewing of commercial article through a linking node for virtual merging on another structure. The method includes providing a host site accessible to an on-line viewer (shopper) and web-linkable to a retailer having an apparel site. These articles can be apparel from retail stores for viewing over the web, and the on-line viewer is linked to the host site. The shopper provides a personal-body structure, such as a photograph of a person captured in system memory, which is stored at the shopper's PC. Alternatively, the personal-body structure can be stored at the host site. Using the host site, the shopper is linked to the retailer's apparel site and images of articles are passed from that site to the host site. The images of articles are merged with the personal-body structure for view by the shopper.

Abstract: An image containing one or more types of objects to be located is analyzed to locate linear features within the image. The objects have edges having known spatial relationships. The linear features and identified virtual lines are analyzed to find groups of linear features and/or virtual lines that have one of the known spatial relationships. These relationships can include parallel edges, edges that meet at certain angles or angle ranges, the number of lines meeting a vertex and the like. The identified group is compared with projected 2-dimensional representation(s) of the object(s) to determine whether any additional lines appear in the image that are part of the located object. In various exemplary embodiments, two or more hypotheses for how the identified group of linear features maps to the 3-dimensional representation of the object can be generated. The best fitting hypothesis becomes the recognized 3-dimensional shape and orientation for that object.

Abstract: A deferred-type payment approach facilitates transaction card management and processing. According to an example embodiment, a user's transaction card purchases are authorized against a purchase limit associated with a consideration-bearing (e.g., interest-bearing) account. The purchases are tracked and, at the end of a billing cycle, provided to the user via a statement or other informative approach. During a payment time period after the end of the billing cycle, the user is afforded an opportunity to review tracked purchases and provide funds to cover the purchases. If the user does not provide funds for the purchases during the payment time period, funds are automatically transferred from the consideration-bearing account to cover the purchases at the end of the payment time period. In this regard, purchases made with the transaction card against the consideration-bearing account are not assessed against the consideration-bearing account until after the billing cycle has ended.

Abstract: A portable platform-support system provides an external platform comer for supporting a platform surface structure; the system having a rigid comer-support apparatus having a non-integrating outer-facing portion with opposing outer edges, an inner portion, and a recessed pocket; a channel member having an elongated shape, a slot aligning with the recessed pocket, and an upper surface to provide support to the platform surface structure; and a reinforcement member securely coupled to and extending from the inner portion with the reinforcement member to securely support the channel member.

Abstract: Various approaches for virtual appliance management are described. In one approach a virtual appliance repository stores one or more virtual appliances and is coupled to the host computer via a network. A storage device stores a transceiver program capable when executed on said host computer of requesting and receiving the virtual appliances, and generating for each received virtual appliance a respective local copy on the host computer of each received virtual appliance. The local copy is private to the host computer. The transceiver program further binds the virtual appliances to the host computer and obtains user data relevant to the virtual appliances. The transceiver program runs each of the virtual appliances from the respective private local copies on the host computer.

Abstract: An image of high-aspect-ratio objects is analyzed to locate linear features within the image. The gradient direction for each pixel is determined, and connected pixels having similar gradient directions are grouped into line support regions. A linear feature is determined for each line support region. The linear features are analyzed to identify those that are co-linear. The linear features are then analyzed to find groups that are parallel and that sufficiently overlap. Additional sets of linear features that intersect the identified group are combined into that group. The line support regions of the grouped linear features are analyzed to determine representative orientation and/or dimensional information, which is analyzed to determine statistical information about a plurality of the objects. This information is used to monitor or control one or more processes associated with the objects, to reject the objects or a structure or device comprising the objects, or the like.

Abstract: Various methods and devices are implemented using efficient silicon compatible integrated light communicators. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device is implemented for communicating light, such as by detecting, modulating or emitting light. The device has a silicon-seeding location, an insulator layer and a second layer on the insulator layer. The second layer includes a silicon-on-insulator region and an active region surrounded by the silicon-on-insulator region and connected to the silicon-seeding location. The active region includes a single-crystalline germanium-based material that extends from the silicon-seeding location through a passageway with a cross-sectional area that is sufficiently small to mitigate crystalline growth defects.

Abstract: Database management and security is implemented in a variety of embodiments. In one such embodiment, data sets containing retail transaction information are analyzed using aliases representing transaction card identifiers. In another embodiment, the transaction card identifiers are stored in an encrypted form for use from a secure access, while the alias identifier is available for standard access.