Abstract: An indirect branch instruction takes an address register as an argument in order to provide indirect function call capability for single-instruction multiple-thread (SIMT) processor architectures. The indirect branch instruction is used to implement indirect function calls, virtual function calls, and switch statements to improve processing performance compared with using sequential chains of tests and branches.

Abstract: An integrated conductor/suspension structure for supporting and electrically connecting a write/read head in a hard disk drive and methods of making the conductor/suspension structure are provided. The integrated conductor/suspension structure may allow for an increased characteristic-impedance range, greater interference shielding and a reduction of signal loss that is contributed by a lossy conductive substrate. The suspension structure includes apertures formed therein that result in a reduction in the lossy material and its effect on the electrical signals. In addition, the conductor/suspension structure of the present invention provides shielding to reduce the interference from external electric fields.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for presenting energy consumption information in an IDE tool. In one embodiment, the IDE tool may be configured to determine energy requirements associated with specific elements of the source code, and to present graphical indications of energy requirements along with those code elements. Such energy requirements may be determined by matching code elements to a stored data structure describing energy requirements for executing various code elements. The stored data may be based on predefined standards, and/or may be based on historical measurements of energy consumption during prior instances of executing code elements on a target computer system. Additionally, developers may specify priority for compiling portions of source code, according to desired energy requirements.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining that all conductors of an Ethernet connection are connected to the same powered device (PD). In one disclosed embodiment, it is first determined that a signal conductor pair of the Ethernet connection is coupled to a valid PD according to a discovery process, and the unused conductor pair of the Ethernet connection is also coupled to a valid PD. However, it is not yet determined whether they are both coupled to the same PD. This disclosure provides for injecting a polluting signal into one of the conductor pairs, and performing the discovery process on the other conductor pair. If the discovery process fails on the other conductor pair as a result of the polluting signal, then it is determined that both of the conductor pairs are indeed coupled to same PD.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for increasing the number of read commands or write commands transmitted to an activated bank page in the DRAM. Read requests and dirty notifications are organized in a read request sorter or a dirty notification sorter, respectively, and each sorter includes multiple sets with entries that may be associated with different bank pages in the DRAM. Read requests and dirty notifications are stored in read request lists and dirty notification lists, where each list is associated with a specific bank page. When a bank page is activated to process read requests, read commands associated with read requests stored in a particular read request list are transmitted to the bank page. When a bank page is activated to process dirty notifications, write commands associated with dirty notifications stored in a particular dirty notification list are transmitted to the bank page.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods for sealing a processing chamber with a slit valve door. The door initially raises from a position below the opening for the processing chamber to a raised position. The door then expands until an O-ring that is on the door just touches the sealing surface. Then, the door expands again to compress the O-ring against the sealing surface. The door expands by flowing a gas into the interior volume of the door. By controlling the pressure buildup within the door, the speed with which the door expands is controlled to ensure that the door gently contacts the sealing surface and then compresses against the sealing surface. Thus, the door may be prevented from contacting the sealing surface with too great a force that may jolt or shake the processing chamber and produce undesired particles that may contaminate the process.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises a write count memory, a read offset setting module and a controller. The write count memory stores a write count for each track or for each zone on a disk. The read offset setting module sets, in accordance with a write count for an adjacent track to a target track or for a zone to which the adjacent track belongs, an offset from a predetermined position on the target track in a read position in which a head is to be positioned when the head is positioned on the target track for data read. The write count is stored in the write count memory. The controller positions the head in a position shifted from the predetermined position by the set offset.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes a reinforce roller to further reinforce the fold of a sheet which has been folded by a fold roller pair, a support portion to move the reinforce roller in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction, a sensor to sense a position of the support portion, a distance sensing portion to sense a distance to a first position and a distance to a second position from a stop position of the support portion, when the sensor senses an abnormal stop of the support portion, and a control unit to compare the distance to the first position and the distance to the second position sensed by the distance sensing portion and to control the support portion to move in a direction where a moving distance is shorter.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to thin film transistors (TFTs) and methods of making TFTs. The active channel of the TFT may comprise one or more metals selected from the group consisting of zinc, gallium, tin, indium, and cadmium. The active channel may also comprise nitrogen and oxygen. To protect the active channel during source-drain electrode patterning, an etch stop layer may be deposited over the active layer. The etch stop layer prevents the active channel from being exposed to the plasma used to define the source and drain electrodes. The etch stop layer and the source and drain electrodes may be used as a mask when wet etching the active material layer that is used for the active channel.

Abstract: Network devices, computer-readable media, and other embodiments associated with packet inspection are described. Packet inspection may be performed on data packets associated with a session, where a session can include multiple data channels and associated control channels that have been bound together. A session may be associated with an identity. Various policies may be associated with that identity. As packet inspection occurs, it can be determined whether policies are being violated on a per identity basis. If a policy is being violated, then an action may be selectively performed. The action performed may affect a single channel in the session or may affect the whole session. Different identities may have different policies. Example actions include dropping a session, throttling a session, monitoring a session, controlling the number of channels associated with a session, dropping a channel, throttling a channel, monitoring a channel, and other actions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing maintenance of a computer program can include the steps of receiving usage data from a plurality of users of the computer program, wherein the usage data identifies at least one portion of the computer program accessed by one of the users, and for each portion of the computer program, determining a usage according to the received usage data and assigning a priority level according to the determined usage, where the priority level indicates a relative priority of the portion compared to other portions in the computer program.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for cables with secured terminations. For some embodiments, a cable includes an inner tube surrounding an optical fiber, an aluminum tube surrounding the inner tube, and armor tubing surrounding the aluminum tube. The aluminum tube resists collapse of the inner tube at bends in the cable, inhibits or prevents hydrogen from reaching the fiber, and facilitates termination of the cable. For example, terminating the cable may include crimping the armor tubing to deform the aluminum tube into gripping engagement with an outside of the inner tube and an inside of the armor tubing. In some embodiments, a retention assembly secures the fiber relative to the inner tube and includes a retention tube secured to the inner tube and a packing sleeve squeezed into gripping engagement with the fiber by radial inward deformation of the retention tube where the packing sleeve is disposed in the retention tube.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for executing branch instructions is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a branch instruction, wherein a first path of the branch instruction branches to a target instruction, and wherein a second path of the branch instruction branches to one or more interceding instructions between the branch instruction and the target instruction. The method further includes issuing the one or more interceding instructions and the target instruction and determining if the branch instruction follows the first path or the second path. Upon determining that the branch instruction follows the first path, the one or more interceding instructions between the branch instruction and the target instruction are invalidated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow structured data to be transferred between a source application and target applications that process structured data in different formats. For example, structured data may have associated rules which transform the structured data based on some variables. The source application may register variable definitions for each variable in a registry. Each target application may read the registry and register values for the variables. Once values are registered, the source application transfers the structured data to a transformation engine that applies the rules, using the registered values for the variables, to transform the structured data into a format compatible with the target applications. The transformation engine may also determine distinct sets of variable values and transform structured data based on each distinct set. In doing so, the number of transformed data generated is limited to the number of distinct sets, thereby avoiding generating duplicate transformed data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method can include simultaneously forming a first field insulating film and at least one second field insulating film on a front face side of a semiconductor layer. The at least one second field insulating film is separated from the first field insulating film and thinner than the first field insulating film. The method can include forming a drift region of a first conductivity type in a region of the semiconductor layer including the first field insulating film and the second field insulating film. The method can include forming a drain region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the first field insulating film. In addition, the method can include forming a source region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the second field insulating film.

Abstract: An electronic substrate includes: a flexible printed circuit comprising a head connecting portion being provided with a first terminal to be electrically connected to a magnetic head, and a board connecting portion being provided with a second terminal to be electrically connected to a main printed board; a first reinforcing member provided on the head connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit, the first reinforcing member reinforcing the head connecting portion; and a second reinforcing member provided on the board connecting portion of the flexible printed circuit, the second reinforcing member reinforcing the board connecting portion, wherein the second reinforcing member includes a additional enhancement portion formed with a sterically enhanced shape.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner receptacle that houses toner, a plurality of stirring members housed in the toner receptacle, a plurality of gears meshing with each other on outside of the toner receptacle, and a phase display section. The stirring members are arranged next to each other in the toner receptacle and rotate to stir the toner. Each of the stirring members has a scraper that scrapes off the toner adhering to an inner surface of the toner receptacle. The gears rotate to rotate the stirring members in an interlocked manner with each other. The phase display section shows a meshing position of the gears so that the gears mesh with each other at a position where a phase difference along a rotating direction of the stirring members occurs between the scrapers of the stirring members that are next to each other.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method is provided for forwarding traffic through a standby device in the event of an uplink connection failure. The method generally includes forwarding traffic received on a first downlink connection with a dual-homed device to an uplink connection with a network core, detecting a failure on the uplink connection with the network core, and in response to detecting the failure, notifying a standby device of the failure and sending a message to the dual-homed device to trigger the dual-homed device to begin forwarding traffic to the network core via a second downlink connection between the standby device and the dual-homed device.

Abstract: An image process system applies a specific process to image data inputted via an input device and outputs the image data, to which the specific process has been applied, to an output device. The system includes: an input information acquisition portion that acquires information about the input device through which the image data is inputted; an output information acquisition portion that acquires information about the output device to which the image data inputted via the input device is to be outputted; a process execution portion that executes the specific process to the image data inputted via the input device on the basis of the information acquired by the input information acquisition portion and the output information acquisition portion; and a data output portion that outputs the image data, to which the specific process has been applied in the process execution portion, to the output device.