Abstract: A CMOS active pixel for image sensors has a photosensitive element, a capacitive feedback element with a capacitance CF, and four transistors, namely a first transistor, two reset transistors and a transistor for the selection of the pixel. These transistors are laid out and controlled in such a way that the first transistor is mounted as an amplifier during the pixel reset phase and as a follower during the read phase.

Abstract: A method and system and computer readable medium for processing currency including cash, coins, passive cards, prepaid cards, debit cards, check cards, and smart cards and for providing tokens including passive cards, debit cards, check cards, and smart cards. A transaction fee is calculated based upon a combination of one more of the following (i) type and amount of currency deposited; (iii) the type and amount of token requested; and (iii) the type and amount of the subsequent purchase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital control circuit of the P.I. (Proportional Integral) type, receiving an error signal (Error) at an input terminal (IN1) and adapted to provide, at an output terminal (OUT1), a PWM [Pulse Width Modulated] output signal (PWM Output). The circuit is of a type comprising at least one analog-to-digital converter (100, 100*) connected to the input terminal (IN) and to the output terminal (OUT1) through at least one integrative/proportional branch (120, 121, 130, 134). Advantageously in this invention, the analog-to-digital converter (100, 100*) is an integration converter adapted to integrate the error signal (Error) before an analog-to-digital conversion thereof.

Abstract: A system and method that efficiently compresses data sets that contain one or more repetitive data values. Substitute symbols represent repeated data sequences in the compressed data output. Data sequences that terminate with one or more of a particular value are specially processed by storing their substitute symbols separately from the general substitute symbol dictionary so that they are able to be more efficiently accessed. Substitute symbols for contiguous data sequences that consist of those particular values are also stored separately. The preferred embodiment specially processes data sequences that contain data bytes equal to zero.

Abstract: Prior fabricating the transistors, a phase of forming a deep insulative trench in the substrate is followed by a phase of forming a shallow insulative trench in the substrate and extending the deep trench. The phase of forming the deep trench includes coating the inside walls of the deep trench with an initial oxide layer and filling the deep trench with silicon inside an envelope formed from an insulative material. The phase of forming the shallow trench includes coating the inside walls of the shallow trench with an initial oxide layer and filling the shallow trench with an insulative material.

Abstract: A multi-service communication system and method is disclosed which permits the integration of traditional PSTN functions and voice-over-IP/voice-over-data (VOIP/VOD) functions within the same communication system. The extension of scripting functions to support these features in general simultaneously permits the script to interact with PSTN and IP telephones within the context of the same services, to share the same service logic for both PSTN and IP media, to conference participants on both PSTN and IP, to store and forward information between the two media, to play on-hold media to the interface, and/or to monitor information between the two media. In general the disclosed invention is amenable to the integration of PSTN and VOIP networks, but other service functions may be integrated with no loss of generality.

Abstract: A self-alignment process for the precise alignment in a deposited diamond-like carbon (DLC), which results in a wider viewing angle for the display being manufactured. The process involves ion bombardment, which is swept across the liquid crystal panel in a two-pass process. In one embodiment, both ion sweeps are aligned at a 45-degree angle with respect to the bottom edge of the panel. The first pass is accomplished without any electrical bias on the panel. During the first pass the impinging ions may be at an angle with respect to a point on a plane defined by the surface of the panel that is less than 90 degrees. The second ion sweep is accomplished with the impinging ions at a second angle, greater than 90 degrees up to 180 degrees with respect to the point on the plane defined by the surface.

Abstract: Liquid crystal display (LCD ) panels can be formed rapidly by this method, which involves depositing liquid crystal (LC) in a central region of one substrate, depositing a fillet of epoxy material in a continuous loop along the periphery of one substrate to surround the LC material, placing a second glass substrate over the first substrate and in continuous contact with the epoxy fillet, and then causing the fillet to set by curing or cross-linking. Advantageously, the epoxy fillet can be hardened by scanning it with an infrared or ultraviolet laser focussed to avoid heating the LC material. Alternatively, the epoxy fillet can be formed from two-component epoxy by depositing one fillet of each component on the peripheral region of one of the substrates, joining the substrates to merge the two components, and then vibrating the joined substrates to enhance commingling and setting of the two components into a strong hermetic seal.

Abstract: A method to serve web pages from a server linked to a network of a plurality of clients, the server coupled to a plurality of data pages and to an access log. The method begins with reading an access log to collect data identifying pages that are most frequently accessed by a plurality of clients. The pages are retrieved, at least in part, from a database server coupled to a database storage. The one or more pages are stored in a cache as identified by the access log, where each of the pages are identified in the access log with at least one category of a search criteria received from the clients. An access request is received from one or more clients for a page based upon the search criteria received from the clients. The page from cache is retrieved if the page which has been requested was previously stored in cache. On the other hand, if the page, which has been requested, was not previously stored in cache then the page is retrieved from database storage.

Abstract: A keyboard system for generating emoticons and abbreviations, the system includes a keyboard including keys representing emoticons and keys representing abbreviations. The system further includes a keyboard processor in the keyboard, wherein the keyboard processor produces enhanced scan codes when keys representing emoticons and keys representing abbreviations are pressed in the keyboard. The system further includes a keyboard driver on a computer system for interfacing with the keyboard, wherein the keyboard driver receives the enhanced scan codes and determines the emoticons or abbreviations corresponding to the enhanced scan codes. Lastly, the system includes an application, such as an instant messaging application, a word processor or an email application, on the computer system for interfacing with the keyboard driver. The application receives the emoticons or abbreviations determined by the keyboard driver and displays an image corresponding to the emoticons or abbreviations.

Abstract: This invention allows a related set of coordinator services to migrate from one node to another without disrupting applications on any of the nodes in the system. Unlike other methods, this invention allows a set of interdependent services to be brought to “quiescence” and migrated together. Since service operations depend upon the results and/or data of other service operations, any particular operation can only complete properly when those other operations return data necessary for the completion of the dependent operation. Therefore, this invention permits the completion of non-disruptive migration by phasing the “quiescence” of the services. Operations that are most dependent upon other operations are suspended before those other operations; then the process waits for any current operations to complete.

Abstract: Apparatus for synchronizing time-of-day events across a plurality of neighboring processing nodes organized in a distributed parallel processing system with each processing node including a time-of-day (TOD) incrementor. The TOD incrementor of each processing node is coupled to a local oscillator in the processing node running at a preselected frequency to increment locally the TOD incrementor. A controller determines one of the processing nodes as the master processing node by transmitting an initialization packet to the selected processing node, and transmits a set TOD service packet to the selected master processing node. The master processing node includes a broadcast generator that broadcasts TOD update packets to neighboring processing nodes. A register in the master processing node counts a multiple of the preselected frequency.

Abstract: A system for multicasting a data stream transmits portable child hosts to client computers requesting to receive the multicast. The child hosts are capable of receiving the multicast data stream and also transmitting the data stream to other clients which subsequently request reception of the multicast data stream. Methods for managing the network to minimize the bandwidth load on participating computers, and to reconfigure the network when clients join or leave the network are also disclosed. According to another aspect of the invention a system and computer readable medium is disclosed for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: A method to delivery encrypted digital content to a end user system for playing the content comprising the steps of: reading from a computer readable medium metadata which has previously associated with the content. A user selects from the metadata associated content to decrypt and the end user system establishes a secure connection with an authorization authority for decrypting the content. The end user system receives a secure container containing the decrypting key for decrypting at least part of the previously encrypted content as permitted. The system creates a secure container using the encrypting key from a clearing house, wherein the secure container has an encrypting key therein from the end user system; transferring the secure container to the clearing house for authentication of permission to decrypt the content.

Abstract: Semiconductor device comprising a metal circuit with two parts wound into spirals which are formed such that the branches of one of the parts and the corresponding branches of the other part lie on either side of a median longitudinal region and are symmetrical with respect to this region. A common junction connects the inner ends of the parts and lies across the median longitudinal region and the intermediate junctions between the branches of one of the parts pass above or below the intermediate junctions between the branches of the other part. A common external connection is connected to the common junction and separate external connection are connected respectively to the outer ends of the wound parts. The wound parts constitute two symmetrical metal windings formed between the common connection and the separate connection, respectively, and constituting symmetrical inductors.

Abstract: The LVARS is a fully instrumental, non-destructive spectroscopic device for the analysis and verification and authentication of the optical and electromagnetic properties (OEMP) of the inks, dyes, thin films, plastics, toners, paper, fixatives, paints, and printing agents used in documents and financial instruments. The instrument is quantitative in nature so as to correlate compositional data (elemental, isotopic, structure) with Raman optical spectra. The LVARS design consists of a computer-controlled spectrometer with a microscope-guided grid head containing the laser excitation source and detector and optics.

Abstract: A method for receiving digital content data on a user's system for playing or recording, the content data being compressed and encrypted with a first encrypting key, said method comprising the steps of: tuning a receiver to a selected frequency; receiving content data through a broadcast transmission at the selected frequency; assembling the content data that is received; and transferring the content data to a player for playing the content data after all the content data has been received. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an information processing system and computer readable medium is disclosed for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device to control a circuit for the vertical deflection of a spot scanning a screen, and more particularly a control device whose output amplifier stage works in class D mode at the rate of a switching signal called a first switching signal. The control device has an internal auxiliary supply to generate the overvoltage needed for the fast flyback of the spot. This auxiliary power supply is a switching voltage generation circuit whose switching signal, called a second switching signal, is synchronous with the first switching signal. The present invention has been shown to used advantageously in television screens and/or computer screens.

Abstract: A method for permitting the electronic delivery of digital content. Metadata is acquired which has been previously associated with content. Promotional metadata is extracted for use with a electronic store. At least one of the metadata is altered to create offer data. And at least one of the metadata is altered to create transaction data. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a computer readable medium is described to carry out the above method.