Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing an online payment for an item. In one implementation, the method includes receiving information from a user corresponding to online payment for an item. The information from the user is received through a graphical user interface, and includes an authorization to pay for the item using an electronic check. The method further includes creating an electronic image of an authorized demand draft based on the authorization received from the user. The electronic image of the authorized demand draft is created directly from the information provided by the user through the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A retention module for a heat dissipation assembly is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the retention module may include a frame having an external member and an internal member enclosed within the external member. Furthermore, the internal member is adaptable to seat a heat sink. Additionally, a lever is coupled to the external member, wherein the lever includes a cam. When the lever engages in a first position, the cam pushes the internal member forward to engage the heat sink to a surface. Through the use of the retention module described above, a retention module may be used as a simple method to load and lock heat sinks of varying sizes within a heat dissipation assembly.

Abstract: A device that requires a regulatory label includes a label affixed to a surface of the device and a marking mechanism in the device that detects a configuration setting associated with the device and alters a portion of the label based on the configuration setting such that the label indicates information related to the configuration setting of the device.

Abstract: Method and system aspects for providing efficient management interaction in a consumer transaction system are described. The system includes a plurality of point of sale (POS) systems, a central controller system coupled to the plurality of POS systems, and a mobile manager system. The mobile manager system communicates with the plurality of POS systems through the central controller system by a wireless communication mechanism and remotely monitors and responds to the plurality of POS systems.

Abstract: In a networked system having a protected central server network connected to one or more satellite servers, the central server includes master data, and each satellite system includes replicated data derived from the master data. A corruption of at least a portion of the replicated data in one of the satellite servers is determined. Responsive to determining the corruption, at least the corrupted portion of the replicated data is replaced in the satellite server with data derived from the master data of the central server.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for removing a gear from a shaft. In one embodiment, the invention includes a slotted gear puller which engages the web of a gear and can be used to pull the gear from the shaft based on engagement of the gear puller with the gear in the area of the web of the gear.

Abstract: A connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a body, a plurality of connectors coupled to the body, where the plurality of connectors are adapted to couple to a plurality of respective sockets, and a release structure coupled to the body, where the release structure enables the plurality of connectors to decouple from the plurality of respective sockets. According to the system disclosed herein, the connector assembly facilitates convenient and efficient connection and disconnection of a set of connectors with latches and a set of sockets.

Abstract: A prefetch mechanism using prefetch attributes is disclosed. In one aspect, an explicit request for data stored in a memory is provided, and a prefetch attribute in a page table entry associated with the explicit request is examined to determine whether to provide one or more prefetch requests based on the prefetch attribute. Another aspect includes determining dynamic prefetch attributes for use in prefetching data, in which prefetch attributes are adjusted based on memory access requests that target next sequential blocks of memory relative to the most recent previous access in a page of memory.

Abstract: A metal electroplating process of an electrically connecting pad structure of a circuit board and structure thereof are proposed. First, a circuit board with a patterned circuit layer formed on at least one surface thereof is provided, wherein the circuit layer defines a plurality of electrically connecting pads and electroplating lines connected to the electrically connecting pads. Then, a patterned resist layer is formed on the circuit layer of the circuit board with the electroplating lines being covered by the patterned resist layer and the electrically connecting pads being exposed from the patterned resist layer. Subsequently, an electroplating process is performed so as to form a metal protection layer on the electrically connecting pads exposed from the patterned resist layer. Then, the resist layer is removed and a solder mask layer is formed on the circuit board.

Abstract: The electronic device includes a device body, a radiation element for performing reception and/or radiation of electromagnetic wave as an antenna to be equipped with the device body, and a dielectric member placed close to or in contact with the radiation element within the device body, the dielectric member being movable from the outside of the device body to shift the resonance frequency of the antenna. According to the present invention, it is possible, for an electronic device such as a notebook PC having a wireless communication function, to compensate the deviations of resonance frequency of antennas caused by errors in mounting of the antennas for individual devices, the difference in the dimension of structures or the like, to match the resonance frequency to the specified central frequency.

Abstract: A method and system for defining a data mapping between at least two data structures is disclosed. The method of the present invention comprises selecting at least two data structures, wherein each data structure comprises a plurality of data elements and analyzing previous data mapping definition information to derive a definition of a data mapping between the data elements of the at least two data structures.

Abstract: A connection system. The connection system includes a connection receptacle comprising a first component coupled to a chassis and a second component coupled to the first component. The first and second components are collapsed into a compact configuration when the connection receptacle is in a closed position. According to the system and method disclosed herein, implementing the receptacle as two separate components allows for a compact connection system.

Abstract: A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for performing streaming of character-based data from a storage system is provided. The computer program comprises code for fetching a block of data from the storage system, wherein the character-based data includes the block of the data; converting a portion of the block of the data into a part of a character; retaining a remaining part of the block, if any, the remaining part of the block of the data corresponding to a portion of the character and a portion of an additional character; and converting the remaining part of the block of the data into one of the portion of the character and the portion of the additional character in a next conversion responsive to the next conversion including the character or the additional character.

Abstract: A programmable locating method and system comprises a first electronic device having an actuator, a transceiver, and an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is coupled to the transceiver and to the actuator. The integrated circuit is configured such that when the actuator is activated, the first electronic device transmits a first signal indicating that the first electronic device is in a program mode and identifies the actuator. One embodiment of the invention provides a locating system where the user may program the communication relationship between devices and allows one device to be assigned to a single or plurality of other devices. A single device may act as a response unit or a control unit, the response unit typically being “found” by the control unit. While acting as a response unit, the device may be “found,” or may act as a control unit and find other devices acting as response units.

Abstract: A new scheme of Schottky FPGA (SFPGA) IC solution is proposed. The chip is organized by embedded analog, memory, and logic units with on chip apparatus and software means to partitioning, altering selected portions of hardware. The process means is based on the combined Schottky CMOS (SCMOS, U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,800) and Flash technology. The circuit means is based on SCMOS-DTL gate arrays. Software means is based on the C++ procedures with levels of LUT. The SFPGA device supports GHz low power ASIC mixed signal product applications with embedded analog, logic, and memory array units. Several multiplexing schemes are disclosed, which accommodate tasks to vary the Vt and transmission line transmission of selected transistor or IO nets, and therefore their analog and digital device properties. A voltage doubler and supply booster and a Digital-Analog-Digital-Translator (DADT) apparatus are also disclosed in accordance with the present invention.

Abstract: Conflict checking for writing operations in an SQL database system is carried out for nested statements invoked by a parent statement. Each statement has an associated table access data structure defined at compile-time indicating the tables in the database that the statement accesses and the mode of access. At execution-time the table access data structure for each nested statement is accessed and the information is compared with a list of tables maintained for the parent statement to determine if there is a read/write or write/write conflict possible if the nested statement is executed. Where there is no conflict detected, the information from the table access data structure is copied to the list of tables.

Abstract: A data cryptographer encrypts and decrypts character data of any given length using derivative equations and factors. The use of factors and derivative equations introduces the randomness required for effective encryption without the use of complex mathematics. A set of equations determined by the user is used in a manner similar to a key but with random results. Only a portion of the key is exposed to decrypt the encrypted information. The data cryptographer may be configured using either simple or complex equations and may be implemented in an unlimited number of variations. The data cryptographer is portable, and can be implemented in any programming language that supports cyclical character manipulation. The data cryptographer also supports input from a variety of sources, allowing control from the administrator side, string value side, or any other input that may be extracted from the desired programming language.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for compressing a tree structure. The method of the present invention includes providing a compressed format block for representing a plurality of levels of the tree structure, where the plurality of levels comprises a set of nodes. The method also includes compressing each node in the set of nodes into the compressed format block, such that the plurality of levels is traversed in a single memory access.

Abstract: A semiconductor device integrated with optoelectronic components includes a carrier board with at least two openings; a first and a second optoelectronic component disposed in the openings respectively, each of them having an active surface and an opposite non-active surface, wherein the active surface has a plurality of electrode pads and an optical active area; a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the carrier board and the active surfaces, and having a plurality of vias and openings to expose the electrode pads and the optical active areas respectively; and a circuit layer formed on a surface of the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the electrode pads directly.

Abstract: A fabrication method of under bump metallurgy (UBM) structure is provided. A blocking layer is applied over a surface of a semiconductor element formed with at least one bond pad and a passivation layer thereon. The passivation layer covers the semiconductor element and exposes the bond pad, and the blocking layer covers the bond pad and the passivation layer. The blocking layer is formed with at least one opening at a position corresponding to the bond pad. Metallic layers are formed on a surface of the blocking layer and at the opening. The metallic layers are patterned to form a UBM structure at the opening corresponding to the bond pad. Then the blocking layer is removed. The blocking layer can separate the metallic layers for forming the UBM structure from the passivation layer to prevent metallic residues of the UBM structure from being left on the passivation layer.