Abstract: A process of making a stud capacitor structure is disclosed. The process includes embedding the stud in a dielectric stack. In one embodiment, the process includes forming an electrically conductive seed film in a contact corridor of the dielectric stack. A storage cell stud is also disclosed. The storage cell stud can be employed in a dynamic random-access memory device. An electrical system is also disclosed that includes the storage cell stud.

Abstract: A method and system for the detection of electromagnetic interference is disclosed in which a telemetry coil or other magnetic sensor is used to detect a magnetic signal. If a magnetic signal is determined to be a non-telemetry signal and is time-correlated with the onset of an increase in heart rate, electromagnetic interference is assumed to be present.

Abstract: This invention addresses sound recording and mixing methods for 3-D audio rendering of multiple sound sources over headphones or loudspeaker playback systems. Economical techniques are provided, whereby directional panning and mixing of sounds are performed in a multi-channel encoding format which preserves interaural time difference information and does not contain head-related spectral information. Decoders are provided for converting the multi-channel encoded signal into signals for playback over headphones or various loudspeaker arrangements. These decoders ensure faithful reproduction of directional auditory information at the eardrums of the listener and can be adapted to the number and geometrical layout of the loudspeakers and the individual characteristics of the listener. A particular multi-channel encoding format is disclosed, which, in addition to the above advantages, is associated with a practical microphone technique for producing 3-D audio recordings compliant with the decoders described.

Abstract: A novel system and method for transmitting and receiving secure data in a virtual private group (VPG). In one embodiment, a method for transmitting secure data from a first node to a second node includes accessing a group membership table on the first node, the group membership table having group membership information for each group, including a first group, to which the first node belongs and group security information associated with each group, wherein the first group has two or more members, and checking the group membership table to determine if the second node is a member of the first group. If the second node is a member of the first group, the method further includes encrypting a data packet using the group security information associated with the first group, processing the encrypted data packet, and transmitting the encrypted data packet from the first node to the second node.

Abstract: A method and system authenticates a storage device or storage router for use with driver software. The driver software may be permitted to be used with particular storage devices including storage routers and may be prohibited from being used with other storage devices or routers. In some cases, this may allow a vendor to restrict the use of its driver software, or at least certain functionality, to use with the vendor's storage devices or storage routers. A proof of purchase request is sent by a client device to a server over an IP network to authenticate the storage device or router (e.g., a server). The request may include a random number and one or more identifiers. The identifiers may include a server identifier, a software driver identifier and/or a client device identifier. The driver software may permit storage related communications with the server when a hash received from the server matches a hash internally generated by the software driver.

Abstract: A probe card includes a flexible membrane, a plurality of probes attached to the flexible membrane, and a layer of foam connected to the flexible membrane so that when the probes are moved into the flexible membrane, the layer of foam is also deflected to produce a counteracting force at the probes. A plurality of push rods are used to transfer the force at the contacts to the foam layer. The foam layer is attached to a rigid plate or push plate. A guide plate includes openings through which the push rods pass. The guide plate supports the push rods along their length and reduces the spacing between the push rods at the flexible member when compared to the spacing of the push rods at the foam layer.

Abstract: A computationally efficient channel estimation technique for use within an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication system determines coefficients of a channel transfer function by calculating the dot products of a pilot vector and a plurality of interpolation vectors. One dot product is preferably calculated for each subcarrier of interest within the system. The pilot vector is extracted from an OFDM symbol received from a communication channel. In a preferred approach, a number of interpolation vectors are precalculated and stored within a communication device for subsequent use during channel estimation and equalization operations. The technique is highly flexible and can be implemented using, for example, a variable user block size or a variable pilot vector size.

Abstract: A distributed authentication system includes a cryptography service node, and a client node interface coupled to a network authentication database, for providing automatic authentication to enable the client node to access network resources, such as applications or services, resident in one or more network server nodes. Authentication secrets corresponding to the network resources are each encrypted with a respective strong key and stored in the authentication database. Authentication of the client node is accomplished with the retrieval of an authentication secret corresponding to a requested network resource. The retrieval process includes: i) decrypting the authentication secret using the strong key and encrypting the secret using a second key, and ii) sending a copy of the second key encrypted with a third key along with the encrypted secret to the requesting client node via a communication medium.

Abstract: Described is a double-transfected cell line containing (a) a DNA sequence encoding an uptake transporter for organic anions, preferably OATP8, operatively linked with a promoter and (b) a DNA sequence encoding an export pump for organic anions or anionic conjugates, preferably the multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), operatively linked with a promoter. Moreover, various uses of said cell line are described, preferably its use for the identification of transport inhibitors, e.g. drug candidates.

Abstract: A safety vest is sized to be worn by a human, wherein the vest has a front and back and left and right sides each having a shoulder portion. An EL strip is provided on each side of the vest extending from the bottom of the vest upwards toward the shoulder portion. A power source is supported by the vest and connected to the EL lamp strips to supply electrical energy to the strips so that they emit EL light, wherein the EL light emitted by the EL strip is a safety yellow color, and wherein other portions of the vest are a safety orange color. Further safety articles of clothing and devices are also described.

Abstract: A device includes a number of output circuits to drive a number of output signals. The output signals have timing relationship among each other. The device also includes a control loop circuit serving as a feedback loop to adjust any mismatch between the timing relationships of the output signals.

Abstract: A polysilicon film is formed with enhanced selectivity by flowing chlorine during the formation of the film. The chlorine acts as an etchant to insulative areas adjacent polysilicon structures on which the film is desired to be formed. Bottom electrodes for capacitors are formed using this process, followed by an anneal to create hemishperical grain (HSG) polysilicon. Multilayer capacitor containers are formed in a non-oxidizing ambient so that no oxide is formed between the layers. The structure formed is planarized to form separate containers made from doped and undoped amorphous silicon layers. Selected ones of undoped layers are seeded in a chlorine containing environment and annealed to form HSG. A dielectric layer and second electrode are formed to complete the cell capacitor.

Abstract: A ball grid array device includes a substrate, further including a first major surface and a second major surface. An array of pads is positioned on one of the first major surface or the second major surface. At least some of the pads include a raised ring. The raised ring circumscribes the pad or surrounds an interior pad or land on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of block copolymers as leveling agents for surface coatings, having a weight-average molecular weight of from 1000 to 100000. The leveling agent is a linear or branched block copolymer composed of a polysiloxane block and one or more blocks prepared from ethylenically unsaturated monomers by controlled free-radical addition polymerization. The invention also relates to coating compositions which comprise the leveling agent.

Abstract: A safety vest is sized to be worn by a human, wherein the vest has a front and back and left and right sides each having a shoulder portion. An EL strip is provided on each side of the vest extending from the bottom of the vest upwards toward the shoulder portion. A power source is supported by the vest and connected to the EL lamp strips to supply electrical energy to the strips so that they emit EL light, wherein the EL light emitted by the EL strip is a safety yellow color, and wherein other portions of the vest are a safety orange color. Further safety articles of clothing and devices are also described.

Abstract: A method and system for setting the operating parameters of a cardiac rhythm management device in which a plurality of parameter optimization algorithms are available. A measured feature of an electrophysiological signal such as QRS width has been shown to be useful in selecting among certain parameter optimization algorithms. In one embodiment, one or more resynchronization pacing parameters are set based on one or both of the feature extracted from an electrogram signal and the value of a resynchronization pacing parameter which tends to minimize the intrinsic atrial rate.

Abstract: A display system includes a repairable memory that re-routes data when a defect exists in the memory. A significant bit in the display memory that would otherwise be corrupted by a bad memory cell is re-routed to a least significant bit position in the memory, and the least significant information is discarded. The repairable memory includes a memory device and two repair routers. One repair router is on the input of the memory, and one repair router is on the output of the memory. One or more least significant bits can be sacrificed to preserve more significant bit information.

Abstract: The invention provides a packaging (incorporation) signal for influenza virus vectors, and methods of using the signal to transmit and maintain influenza viral and foreign nucleic acid in virus and cells.

Abstract: This document describes systems, devices, and methods that measure a distance between ultrasound or other acoustic transducers to provide a contractility or other therapy efficacy indication. In one example, the indication is communicated to a caregiver for assisting in the caregiver's determination of particular therapy settings. In another example, the indication is used in a feedback controller to automatically adjust one or more therapy parameters based at least in part on the indication.

Abstract: A metal golf cup of a cylindrical shape includes a severable, plastic sleeve disposed therein. The plastic sleeve has a conical shape couples with the golf cup in an interference fit. The sleeve further includes a top sleeve portion at a top surface of the sleeve, and the top sleeve portion rests on a top surface of the metal golf cup.