Abstract: A card holder carries out an initial top-up of a balance of a pre-paid payment card. The prepaid payment card is configured for use in an infrastructure in accordance with a payment specification requiring different behavior for normal transactions in the infrastructure versus that required for topping-up of the balance. Contemporaneously with the initial top-up, the card holder registers risk mitigation information in association with the pre-paid payment card. Subsequent to the initial top-up, an indicator is written to the pre-paid payment card during a transaction with the pre-paid payment card outside the infrastructure. The indicator identifies the pre-paid payment card as having the risk mitigation information associated therewith. During subsequent presentation of the pre-paid payment card to the infrastructure, the pre-paid payment card is treated as a token backed up by the risk mitigation information, based on presence of the indicator on the pre-paid payment card.

Abstract: A digital video program is obtained. The program includes: (i) at least one broadcast segmentation message specifying at least one location for at least one broadcast advertisement, and (ii) at least one time-shifted segmentation message specifying at least one location for at least one time-shifted advertisement. The program is broadcast with at least one broadcast advertisement in accordance with the at least one broadcast segmentation message, and is made available to a subscriber at a time after the broadcasting, with at least one time-shifted advertisement in accordance with the at least one time-shifted segmentation message.

Abstract: A payment device includes a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, a communications module coupled to the processor and configured to interact with a payment terminal, a sound-producing element coupled to the processor, and an associated body portion. The memory is configured to store at least one representation of at least one sound and the processor is configured to cause the sound-producing element to produce a sound corresponding to the at least one representation of the at least one sound when such representation is stored in the memory, responsive to the communications module interacting with the payment terminal, substantially without usage of a battery on the device. Visual stimuli can be employed in addition to or in lieu of sounds. Sounds can be downloaded to devices with or without batteries, as part of a service offering.

Abstract: A video content network having a plurality of program channels is operated, and a target time slot for an enhanced advertisement is identified. At least some of the plurality of program channels have programs scheduled during the target time slot. The target time slot is signaled to a plurality of terminals connected to the video content network. Each of the terminals is viewing a given one of the program channels prior to the signaling. Responsive to the signaling, the programs scheduled during the target time slot are effectively paused at a program time corresponding to a beginning of the time slot, and the enhanced advertisement is caused to be displayed on the terminals. Responsive to an end of the enhanced advertisement, the programs scheduled during the target time slot are resumed at the program time corresponding to the beginning of the time slot.

Abstract: An integrated circuit package substrate includes a first and an additional electrically conductive layer separated from each other by an electrically insulating layer, a contact pad formed in the first electrically conductive layer for making a direct connection between the integrated circuit package substrate and a printed circuit board, and a cutout formed in the additional electrically conductive layer wherein the cutout encloses an area that completely surrounds the contact pad for avoiding parasitic capacitance between the additional electrically conductive layer and the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A technique for enhancing substrate bias of grounded-gate NMOS fingers (ggNMOSFET's) has been developed. By using this technique, lower triggering voltage of NMOS fingers can be achieved without degrading ESD protection in negative zapping. By introducing a simple gate-coupled effect and a PMOSFET triggering source with this technique, low-voltage triggered NMOS fingers have also been developed in power and I/O ESD protection, respectively. A semiconductor device which includes a P-well which is underneath NMOS fingers. The device includes an N-well ring which is configured so that the inner P-well underneath the NMOS fingers is separated from an outer P-well. The inner P-well and outer P-well are connected by a P-substrate resistance which is much higher than the resistance of the P-wells. A P+-diffusion ring surrounding the N-well ring is configured to connect to VSS, i.e., P-taps.

Abstract: A method of decoding a two-dimensional enhanced-density barcode. A first and a second barcode are encoded in the enhanced-density barcode. The enhanced-density barcode includes a set of blocks. Each block includes a predefined number of sub-pixels. The blocks of the enhanced-density barcode being arranged relatively to each other in a geometrical lattice having a first and a second lattice direction. The method includes the steps of distorting of the enhanced-density barcode in the first lattice direction, resulting in a first distorted barcode, distorting of the enhanced-density barcode in the second lattice direction, resulting in a second distorted barcode, reconstructing the first barcode by low-pass filtering the first distorted barcode, reconstructing the second barcode by low-pass filtering the second distorted barcode.

Abstract: A scaled network flow graph is constructed, including a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges. The plurality of nodes correspond to: (i) a pseudo device pin node for each pair of corresponding paired device pins; (ii) a pseudo bottom surface metal node for each pair of bottom surface metal pins on each of multiple routing layers; (iii) a source node connected to each of the pseudo device pin nodes; (iv) a sub-sink node for each pair of the paired bottom surface metal pins (each of the sub-sink nodes is connected to corresponding ones of the pseudo bottom surface metal nodes for each of the pairs of bottom surface metal pins on each of the multiple routing layers); and (v) a sink node connected to the sub-sink nodes. A capacity and a cost are assigned to each of the edges of the scaled network flow graph. A min-cost-max-flow technique is applied to the scaled network flow graph with the assigned capacities and costs to obtain an optimal flow solution.

Abstract: A method for reducing path delay sensitivity to temperature variation in a circuit is provided. The method includes the steps of: identifying at least one timing-critical path in the circuit, the path including a plurality of circuit cells coupled between an input and an output of the path; determining a temperature slope coefficient of the path; when the slope coefficient is negative, increasing the slope coefficient by controlling at least one characteristic of at least one of the cells in the path; and when the slope coefficient is positive, decreasing the slope coefficient by controlling at least one characteristic of at least one of the cells in the path.

Abstract: A method and device for QoS control for presence servers and a presence system supporting QoS control. The method for providing QoS capability for a presence server includes the steps of: receiving SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) messages; classifying said SIP messages based on a QoS policy; and delivering the classified SIP messages after a predetermined time corresponding to the QoS policy.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and a computer program product for storing and accessing multi-tenancy data. The method includes the steps of: creating a plurality of table sets in one or more databases, wherein each table set is used to store data of a group of tenants selected from a plurality of tenants; accessing data of a tenant in a table set in response to receiving a data access request from the tenant; and recording relationships between the tenants and the table sets in a multi-tenancy metadata repository, wherein the step of accessing the data of the tenant comprises the steps of finding the table set by querying the metadata repository and accessing the data of the tenant in the table set based on the result received from the query of the metadata repository.

Abstract: Interrogation of an electronic device by a first terminal is facilitated, to obtain an account number associated with the electronic device. The electronic device is configured according to a payment specification. The first terminal has a first terminal payment module configured according to the payment specification and a first terminal electronic merchandise module configured according to the electronic merchandise infrastructure and coupled to the first terminal payment module to permit transfer of non-payment e-merchandise related information from the first terminal electronic merchandise module to the first terminal payment module. The interrogation of the electronic device is performed by the first terminal payment module. Generation of non-payment e-merchandise related information by the first terminal electronic merchandise module is facilitated.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for creating indices for a database having a plurality of documents each being associated with one or more keywords. The method includes the steps of: dividing the database into a plurality of subsets; separating the keywords into a plurality of keyword groups based upon modulo G of the hash value of the keyword for each subset; reading each document of each subset to create a first sub-index and writing same to a storage device of the computer; reading the first sub-indices to merge the first sub-indices into a second sub-index for each keyword group to write same to the storage device; and reading the second sub-indices from the storage device to merge the second sub-indices into an index for the database and write same on the storage device. A program and a system for creating indices are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for increasing the accuracy of timing characterization of a circuit including one or more cells in a cell library are provided. One method includes the steps of: performing cell library timing characterization for each of the cells in the circuit for at least first and second prescribed temperatures, the first and second temperatures corresponding to first and second PVT corners, respectively, in the cell library; calculating respective cell delays for the one or more cells in the circuit, the cell delay calculation being a function of temperature for each instance of the one or more cells; and incorporating the cell delay calculation into the timing characterization for each of the cells in the circuit to thereby increase the accuracy of the timing characterization.

Abstract: Trick modes are substantially prevented during DVR and NDVR content by obtaining an audiovisual asset that is digitally compressed in accordance with a compression technique employing at least a plurality of substantially complete frames and a plurality of substantially intermediate frames, substantially removing the plurality of substantially complete frames from a portion of the asset for which trick play is to be substantially prevented, and streaming the asset, with the plurality of substantially complete frames substantially removed from the portion thereof, to a user thereof.

Abstract: A compensation circuit for controlling a variation in output impedance of at least one buffer circuit includes a monitor circuit having a pull-up portion comprising at least one PMOS transistor and a pull-down portion comprising at least one NMOS transistor. The monitor circuit is configured to track an operation of an output stage in the buffer circuit and is operative to generate a first control signal indicating a status of at least one characteristic of corresponding pull-up and pull-down portions in the output stage over variations in PVT conditions to which the buffer circuit may be subjected. The compensation circuit further includes a control circuit generating first and second sets of digital control bits for compensating the pull-up and pull-down portions in the output stage over prescribed variations in PVT conditions. The second set of digital control bits is generated based at least on the first set of digital control bits and the first control signal.

Abstract: A dialog server which provides dialogs made by at least one user through their respective avatars in a virtual space. A method and a computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the steps of the method are also provided. The dialog server includes: a position storage unit which stores positional information on the avatars; an utterance receiver which receives at least one utterance of avatars and utterance strength representing an importance or attention level of the utterance; an interest level calculator which calculates interest levels between avatars based on their positional information; a message processor which generates a message based on the utterance in accordance with a value calculated from the interest levels and the utterance strength; and a message transmitter which transmits the message to the avatars.

Abstract: Video content is transmitted from a head end, over a switched digital video content-based network, to a client. The head end obtains a first group of program streams and sends to the client only a subset of the program streams selected by subscribers in a neighborhood of the client. The video content is contained in a given one of the subset of the program streams and the client is tuned to a channel corresponding to the given one of the subset of the streams. The supplemental information is transmitted from the head end, over the switched digital video content-based network, to the client, based upon the channel to which the client is tuned.

Abstract: A determination is made whether a first application server of a group of N application servers, N being at least two, is a coordinator of the group. Responsive to determining that the first application server is the coordinator of the group, a connection to a billing system is established, via a terminal server, by the first application server. A determination is made whether a second application server of the group of N application servers is the coordinator of the group. Responsive to determining that the second application server is not the coordinator of the group, a periodic check is made whether the second application server of the group of N application servers is the coordinator of the group. The second application server may later be determined to be the coordinator of the group, when the first server experiences difficulty.

Abstract: A word line driver circuit coupled to a memory circuit word line includes pull-up, pull-up clamp, pull-down and pull-down clamp transistors, each having a source, a drain and a gate. For the pull-up transistor, the source is coupled to a first power supply, and the gate to a pull-up control signal. For the pull-up clamp transistor, the source is coupled to the drain of the pull-up transistor, the drain to the word line, and the gate to a pull-up clamp gate signal. For the pull-down transistor, the source is coupled to a second power supply, and the gate to a pull-down control signal. For the pull-down clamp transistor, the source is coupled to the drain of the pull-down transistor, the drain to the word line, and the gate to a pull-down clamp gate signal. The word line is coupled to one or more DRAM cells. Source to drain voltage magnitudes of the pull-up and pull-down transistors are less than a voltage between the first and second power supplies.