Abstract: Provided is a planar focusing grating coupler, comprising: a light waveguide including a cladding layer and a core layer formed on a substrate and maintaining incident laser light in a single mode; and a focusing grating coupler formed to have a predetermined grating pitch at a certain area over the core layer, wherein the light using to the light waveguide forms a focal point with the grating layer in the direction perpendicular to the focusing grating coupler, whereby an ultra small pickup head for a mobile optical disk can be used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a source contact of a flash memory device.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to hardware for scaling and filtering video data and more specifically to algorithms and techniques for accelerating scaling and filtering operations on digital video data. The hardware is designed so that scaling and filtering operations are combined and performed simultaneously where possible to speed manipulation of the video data. Efficient design of the system allows memory buffers and logic gates to be shared or eliminated to reduce the size, cost and power requirements of the hardware implementation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a marketplace and management system related thereto. In particular, it relates to a marketplace for freight transportation and the systems necessary to support such a marketplace. It is a comprehensive system that acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers of freight transportation and provides the related support services. The marketplace generally operates over a network using a user interface with various levels of integration. The marketplace facilitates sales of freight transportation services, including multi-leg and multi-modal freight transportation services through several systems including, catalog rates and auctions. The related services provided by the marketplace allow buyers and sellers to enroll in the marketplace, maintain their accounts, and track their operations within the marketplace. Sellers can also manage the rates they charge for providing freight transportation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a continuously operable seat-reclining device having an improved actuator to substantially carry out a reclining operation of the reclining device such that an actuating force of a shaft is uniformly transmitted to the entirety of a coupling. The continuously operable seat-reclining device basically comprises an upper teeth bracket and a lower teeth bracket securely fixed to a seat back frame and a cushion frame, respectively, the upper teeth bracket being provided with upper teeth, the lower teeth bracket being provided with lower teeth, the upper teeth of the upper teeth bracket being engaged with the lower teeth of the lower teeth bracket, a cam hole formed at the center of the lower teeth bracket, and an actuator disposed between the cam hole and the cam-maintaining ring for moving the upper teeth bracket relative to the lower teeth bracket.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making a modified thermoplastic polyester by reacting a thermoplastic polyester with a nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the thermoplastic polyester is first contacted in the solid state with an inert gas atmosphere containing at least one amino-compound of formula H2N—R—(X)n, wherein n is an integer?0, R=a linear, branched or cyclo-aliphatic or aromatic residue comprising 1–24 C-atoms and optionally containing hetero atoms, X?—NH2 or another functional group reactive with the polyester, at a temperature T(a) between room temperature and the melting point Tm of the polyester, during at least 1 s; and then heated to a temperature T(b) between T(a) and Tm, during up to 10 hours; and thereafter solid state polymerized at a temperature T(c) between (Tm?50) and Tm, during up to 100 hours, where T(a)<T(b)<T(c).

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an instrument handle which is linked to a proximal end portion of a tube shaft and at the distal end portion of which an instrument head rotatably supporting an effector is linked so as to be inclinable. The effector includes at least one pivotable engaging element which is operable via an effector operating gear train in cooperation with the instrument handle. The effector operating gear train, in turn, has a pushing rod which is shiftably supported in the tube shaft and which, in the linking area of the instrument head at the tube shaft, abuts a pushing pin shiftably supported in the instrument head, the pushing pin being operatively connected to the engaging element.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a tube shaft at the proximal end of which an instrument head for rotatably supporting an effector is pivotably supported and at the distal end of which an instrument handle is arranged which causes a pivot as well as a bending movement of the instrument head via a bending gear train and a rotation of the effector via a rotation gear train. In the rotation gear train, a motion compensating member is integrated and also is operated via the instrument handle when the bending gear train is operated, and drives the rotation gear train such that an operation of the rotation gear train caused by the pivoting movement of the instrument head, or parts thereof, is compensated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for setting the feed rate of a fuel pump unit, which sucks up fuel from a fuel tank 8, as a function of the feed pressure, which is built up by the fuel pump unit, in an outlet 25 of the fuel pump unit, which outlet leads to an internal combustion engine. The fuel pump unit has a first pump stage and a second pump stage, the two pump stages being connected in parallel below a defined feed pressure in the outlet 25 of the fuel pump unit and being connected in series above the defined feed pressure.

Abstract: In the case of a fuel supply system for supplying an internal combustion engine (2) of a motor vehicle via two feed units (5, 5?), a mixer valve is arranged in a connecting piece (11, 12) connecting the feed units (5, 5?). The mixer valve has a moveable valve body between two mutually opposite valve seats. When only one of the feed units (5, 5?) is switched on, the connection to the other feed unit (5, 5?) is interrupted. This prevents fuel being fed by a feed unit (5, 5?) which is switched off.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filling level sensor for a fuel tank with a float which is fastened to a lever arm and at least one contact which is arranged on the lever arm and is in connection with a slider track formed as a thick-film resistor. The thick-film resistor consists of at least two precious metals, one precious metal being silver and present in a smaller proportion than the other precious metal.

Abstract: A system for combined mailing of a plurality of diverse publications to a plurality of recipients at an optimized mail rate. The system includes a bindery for binding a plurality of the signatures where the bindery binding the plurality of signatures creates a plurality of first publications and a plurality of second publications. Each of the plurality of first and second publications are in a unique order, where the unique order identifies each of the plurality of first publications and each of the plurality of second publications with each of the plurality of recipients. A co-mailer is part of the system for combining the plurality of first publications with the plurality of second publications to form a plurality of diverse publications. The co-mailer merges the plurality of first and second publications in the unique order to send the plurality of diverse publications to the plurality of recipients at the optimized mail rate.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer medium, and other embodiments for synchronizing control of one or more devices at predetermined times are described. A host scheduler loads a to-do list of predetermined events and corresponding time-tags into memory and broadcasts scheduled events to the devices to cause activation of the events on intended devices.