Abstract: Methods for fabricating one or more shallow trench isolation (STI) structures are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for fabricating one or more shallow trench isolation (STI) structures may include providing a substrate having a patterned mask layer disposed thereon to define one or more STI structures. The substrate may be etched using a plasma formed from a process gas mixture to form one or more STI structures on the substrate, wherein the process gas mixture comprises a fluorine-containing gas and either a fluorocarbon-containing gas or a hydrofluorocarbon-containing gas.

Abstract: A method of making an electrostatic chuck comprising positioning a plate into a channel in a body to form a plenum and inserting a dielectric component into an opening in the plate, where the dielectric component defines a portion of a passage from the plenum. Thereafter, depositing a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the body and at least a portion of the plate to form a support surface. The dielectric layer is polished to a specified thickness. In one embodiment, the polishing process forms an opening through the dielectric layer to enable the dielectric component to define a passage between the support surface and the plenum. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the dielectric layer is porous proximate the dielectric component such that the porous dielectric layer and the dielectric component form a passage between the support surface and the plenum.

Abstract: A pair of processing modules and methods that enable low latency communications between a data processing system and devices located at a remote graphic user interface across a standard shared network in accordance with the present invention is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for communicating a raster video signal comprises a receiver enabled to receive the raster video signal from a graphics processor and obtain display control parameters of the raster video signal, the display control parameters comprising frequency and resolution information for the raster video signal; a raster encoder, coupled to the receiver, enabled to encode a plurality of scan lines of the raster video signal to generate a plurality of encoded scan lines; and a network controller, coupled to the raster encoder, enabled to transmit the plurality of encoded scan lines and the display control parameters as packets via an IP/Ethernet network.

Abstract: Apparatus and system for communicating data via a power line. The apparatus comprises a transmitter comprising a modulator for generating a second digital signal based on input data; a digital buffer for amplifying the second digital signal to generate a third digital signal; a filter for filtering the third digital signal to generate an analog output waveform; and a coupler for coupling the analog output waveform to the power line.

Abstract: A system and a method for communicating data at a rate exceeding about a gigabit per second is described. The system may include circuitry and a current-sourcing module. The circuitry may include an output couplable to a load. The circuitry may output from the output a low voltage differential signal having a first current that drives the load from a first voltage at a first time to a second voltage at a second time. The current-sourcing module may apply a second current to the output at a third time, which occurs at about the first time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of progressively encoding and transmitting visual data. First image information updates are acquired for a region of visual data. The region of visual data is defined by a plurality of blocks of pixel data, and individual blocks of the plurality are associated with individual change histories for their respective pixel data. Stored region information including a recent encoded state for each block in the plurality is retrieved. Available network bandwidth is determined, and then encoding parameters for each block in the region of visual data are determined from the retrieved region information and the available network bandwidth. The plurality of blocks is then encoded, the retrieved region information is updated in accordance with the determined encoding parameters; and the encoded blocks are transmitted across a computer network.

Abstract: An adaptive image acquisition system and method that generates virtual view of a surveillance scene to a user (operator), in which, the user operates the system. Through viewing the virtual view, the user controls sensors that create the virtual view. The sensors comprise at least one first sensor having a higher resolution than at least one second sensor. Images from the second sensor are processed to create an image mosaic that is overlaid with images from the higher resolution first sensor. In one embodiment of the invention, the first sensor is moved using Saccade motion. In another embodiment of the invention, a user's intent is used to control the Saccade motion.

Abstract: A method for estimating egomotion of a camera mounted on a vehicle that uses infra-red images is disclosed, comprising the steps of (a) receiving a pair of frames from a plurality of frames from the camera, the first frame being assigned to a previous frame and an anchor frame and the second frame being assigned to a current frame; (b) extracting features from the previous frame and the current frame; (c) finding correspondances between extracted features from the previous frame and the current frame; and (d) estimating the relative pose of the camera by minimizing reprojection errors from the correspondences to the anchor frame.

Abstract: A method and system for aggregating messages. The method comprises obtaining, at a controller, a first plurality of messages related to operation of a distributed energy generator; generating, at the controller, a second plurality of messages from the first plurality, wherein each message in the second plurality has a start-time within a first time window; and generating, at the controller, a third plurality of messages from the second plurality, wherein each message in the third plurality has an end-time within a second time window and is associated with an indicia of a message group.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for catalytic hydroconversion processing of less volatile carbonaceous material to volatile liquid products is disclosed. The process is carried out in a plug-flow reactor system using nanosize metallic catalyst particles dispersed in the reactant slurry with compressed hydrogen/hydrogen-sulfide at a temperature between about 275° C. and 525° C. at a pressure of between about 800 psi and 6000 psi and a residence time in the reactors between about 1 minute and 4 hours.

Abstract: A synthetic polyisoprene latex emulsion has pre-vulcanization composition and post vulcanization composition. The pre-vulcanization composition comprises soluble sulfur with high S8 ring structure that is catalytically broken by a zinc dithiocarbamate. Surfactants present in the pre-vulcanization composition wets synthetic polyisoprene particles and permeates small sized sulfur and accelerator molecules into the interior of these particles thereby pre-vulcanizing the particles. The degree of pre-vulcanization is verified by isopropanol index test. The latex emulsion has post-vulcanization composition with accelerators that crosslink inter-particle region during post vulcanization cure cycle. The dipped synthetic polyisoprene article is substantially uniformly cured both in the inter-particle and intra-particle regions and reliably exhibits high cross link density, uniform distribution of double bonds in TEM and zinc segregation at the boundaries or original particles by electron microprobe analysis.

Abstract: A method of treating or ameliorating an indication of mucosal or adjacent tissue comprising periodically applying to mucosa at or adjacent to disease affected tissue a rinse comprising: an effective amount of appropriate composition of herbal bioactive comprising active(s) of one or more of Sambucus nigra, Centella asiatica or Echinacea purpurea; an antimicrobially effective amount of a quaternary ammonium surfactant; and optionally a polymer or mixture of polymers effective to coat said tissue and entrap said extract(s).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for determining the characteristics of a face is provided. The method may include obtaining an image that includes a rendering of a face of a person; analyzing the image to obtain at least one characteristic of the rendering of the face, forming, as a function of the at least one characteristic, a model of the rendering of the face, and using the model to select at least one article for the person to wear.

Abstract: A flexible cut resistant hydrocarbon flash fire resistant latex glove article is provided, having a flame resistant cut resistant liner and a flame resistant oil resistant polychloroprene polymeric latex coating. The knitted cut resistant fire resistant liner has is made from a composite yarn having a fiberglass core and optionally including a steel fiber. The core has a cushioning core sheath formed by ring-spinning of microdenier staple cut resistant fibers of, for example, para-aramid. and Staple modacrylic fibers can be included with the staple para-aramid fibers. Two wraps of continuous yarns of polyester, para-aramid, or both at a wrap density such that the wraps do not cover the core sheath in its entirety. In the absence of steel fiber, the cut resistant hydrocarbon flash fire resistant glove exhibits good electrical insulation characteristics even with sweat generated from hand preventing short circuit of electrical circuits.

Abstract: A method of forming a digital packet stream, the stream including transport packets. The method can include receiving a packet ID in a transport stream, determining if the packet ID includes a video ID, determining if a coded video frame starts a transport packet, and if a coded video frame starts a transport packet, inserting an Internet protocol/user datagram protocol (IP/UDP) header ahead of a transport packet header. The received transport stream can be an MPEG-2 transport stream. A method of forming a digital packet stream can include receiving a packet ID, determining if the packet ID includes a video ID, determining if a coded video frame starts a transport packet; determining a priority of the video frame, and inserting an IP/UDP header ahead of a transport packet header.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating on-demand power. The method comprises receiving a peak reactive current request, generating a control signal based on the peak reactive current request, and utilizing the control signal to drive a DC/AC inverter to generate reactive power commensurate with the peak reactive current request.

Abstract: An apparatus for encoding an image. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a hash function module for determining changes to a plurality of scan blocks of an image; an encoder module, coupled to the hash function module, for encoding each scan block in the plurality of scan blocks as layers of increasing quality; and selecting specific scan blocks having a specific quality layer for transmission in response to the hash function module change determination.

Abstract: Method for automatically managing a telecommunication service for telecommunication service user includes detecting a telecommunication device associated with the telecommunication service user on a network, determining an activation state of the telecommunication service based on data regarding the detected telecommunication device, determining an account/device state based on data regarding the detected telecommunication device and executing a management process between the telecommunication device and the telecommunication service to alter either the device state or the user account status based on the data regarding the detected device. The executing step includes automatically invoking an action that minimizes the necessary user interaction to initialize, update or access the service. Such service can be VoIP, instant messaging, and combination of these services or others.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring data from a first to a second memory of a computer system. The method comprises (i) initializing a descriptor with a description of physical addressing of a first section of a first array of the first memory; (ii) updating a mask associated with the descriptor with an indication for transferring data from a first sub-section of the first section to the second memory, the mask and the data managed by an application on a first virtual machine of the computer system, the application isolated from the physical addressing of the first section; (iii) responsive to the updated mask, (a) determining physical addresses of the first sub-section based on the description, and (b), transferring the data from the first sub-section to the second memory; and (iv) clearing at least a portion of the updated mask to indicate completion of transferring the data.