Abstract: A lighting device includes at least a light source for emitting light rays and a guide for guiding light rays on a projection plane. The guide is formed by a lens presenting a cylindrical portion extending along an axis perpendicular to the projection plane, and at least one convex shaped surface extending at an extremity of the cylindrical portion. The convex shaped surface is adapted to direct a portion of the light rays emitted from the light source towards the projection plane. This enables to project the light towards a projection plane quasi parallel to the beam direction without using any guides on the projection plane itself.

Abstract: A polarization grating comprising a polarization sensitive photo-alignment layer (2) and a liquid crystal composition (3) arranged on said photo-alignment layer is provided. An alignment pattern, corresponding to the polarization pattern of a hologram, is recorded in the photo-alignment layer, and the liquid crystal composition is aligned on the photo-alignment layer. As the origin for the alignment of the liquid crystal composition is a polarization hologram recorded in a photo-alignment layer, an essentially defect-free pattern can be obtained with this approach.

Abstract: A method of enhancing a display of performance data in a hierarchical state diagram includes measuring a processing time P(t) for each transition action code T(t) of each hierarchical level of the hierarchical state diagram, measuring a processing time P(t) for each state of each hierarchical level of the hierarchical state diagram, and modifying the hierarchical state diagram to enlarge or decrease a width W(t) of transition lines in accordance with a ratio of processing times of all transition action codes in a same hierarchical level.

Abstract: An inductive charging system including an inductive charger having an inductive charging surface and an alignment feature depicted on a surface of the inductive charger indicating a location of the inductive charging surface. A structural feature may extend substantially perpendicular to the alignment feature and provides a guide for positioning of a portable device to facilitate inductive changing of the portable device by the inductive charging surface. The inductive charger may include a plurality of inductive chargers positioned to facilitate charging of a portable device by two or more of the plurality of the inductive chargers.

Abstract: A mobile device includes a housing having a transceiver configured to transmit and/or receive a signal. A stand attachable to the housing has a profile that increases stability of the housing in a resting position. The stand may also be attachable to a further housing such as an interface device configured for connection or attachment to the housing of the mobile device. The stand may include a first portion connectable to the wireless mobile device, a second portion, and an antenna having holes and being sandwiched between the first portion and the second portion. The antenna holes may be configured for allowing passage of liquid material during molding together the first portion, the second portion and the antenna to form a molded stand. The antenna may be operationally coupled to the transceiver. A base plate having hole(s) and connector(s) may also be sandwiched between the first portion and the antenna.

Abstract: A computer system controls ordered memory operations according to a programmatically-configured ordering class protocol to enable parallel memory access while maintaining ordered read responses. The system includes a memory and/or cache memory including a memory/cache controller, an I/O device for communicating memory access requests from system data sources and a memory controller I/O Interface. Memory access requests from the system data sources provide a respective ordering class value. The memory controller I/O Interface processes each memory access request and ordering class value communicated from a data source through the I/O device in coordination with the ordering class protocol. Preferably, the I/O device includes at least one register for storing ordering class values associated with system data sources that implement memory access requests.

Abstract: A manipulator includes a distal end having a manipulating instrument configured for manipulation at a manipulation site, and a proximate end connectable to an interface. A pair of detectors is configured to capture stereoscopic images of the manipulation site. The pair of detectors and manipulating instrument are connected to the interface, by at least a flexible guide and a wired and/or wireless communication link. The detectors are co-locatable at the manipulation site with the manipulating instrument and may be removable attached to manipulating instrument. A force detector may also be removable attached to manipulating instrument.

Abstract: A method of and device (110) for granting access to content on a storage medium (101), comprising obtaining cryptographic data (Y) from a property (102), such as a wobble, of the storage medium (101), reading helper data (W) from the storage medium (101), and granting the access based on an application of a delta-contracting function to the cryptographic data (Y) and the helper data (W). The delta-contracting function allows the choice of an appropriate value of the helper data (W), such that any value of the cryptographic data (Y) which sufficiently resembles said original primary input value leads to the same output value. Substantially different values of the cryptographic data (Y) lead to different values of the output.

Abstract: A brush system including a brush body, bristles attached to the brush body, and a sponge attached to another part of the brush body. The brush system is arranged to dispense at least two of a topical numbing agent, an antiseptic, and a washing solution. The topical numbing agent is adhered to a surface of the sponge to facilitate applying the topical numbing agent if the surface of the sponge is rubbed onto another surface. The brush body may be arranged to dispense the washing solution in proximity to the bristles if a scrubbing force is applied to the bristles. A bladder may be positioned below the bristles and may be arranged to contain the washing solution. The bristles may contain a channel generally deposed within the bristles. The channels may act as a via between the solution contained within the bladder and an outside surface of the bristles.

Abstract: A method of forming a localized region of relaxed Si in a layer of strained Si arranged within a strained silicon directly on insulator (SSDOI) semiconductor substrate is provided by the invention. The strained Si layer is formed on a buried oxide (BOX) layer disposed on a Si substrate base. The method includes depositing a nitride hard mask pattern above a region of the strained Si layer in which enhanced electron mobility is desired, leaving an unmasked region within the strained Si layer, and carrying out various other processing steps to modify and relax the unmasked portion of the strained region. The method includes growing an EPI SiGe region upon the unmasked region using pre-amorphization implantation, and forming a buried amorphous SiGe region in a portion of the EPI SiGe region, and an amorphous Si region, below the amorphous SiGe region. Then, using SPE regrowth, modifying the amorphous SiGe and amorphous Si regions to realize an SPE SiGe region and relaxed SPE Si layer.

Abstract: A method for determining a software configuration in a computer system having a plurality of devices which can communicate with a central server and a one or more shared file systems, the method including the acts of determining, by each of the plurality of devices, which of the one or more shared file systems the corresponding device is mounted to; designating for each of the one or more shared file systems a device which is mounted thereto to perform a scanning operation on the corresponding shared file system, the device being selected from the plurality of devices; scanning, by each designated device, the one or more shared file systems that the corresponding device has been designated to scan so as to identify software products on the corresponding shared file systems that correspond with the catalog information; and receiving, from each designated device, results of the scanning for further processing.

Abstract: A method of producing an ion beam in a tandem accelerator, the method includes the acts of insulating, in a cavity containing an insulating gas under pressure, a beam tube having first and second ends and a terminal situated between the first and second ends; seating, using a load lock valve, the insulating gas under pressure; generating an operating voltage using a first voltage source situated outside the cavity when the operating voltage is less than or equal to a threshold value; generating the operating voltage using a second voltage source situated inside the cavity when the operating voltage is greater than the threshold value; coupling the terminal to the first or second voltage sources; generating, using a particle source, an ion beam; and accelerating the ion beam in a first and second parts of the beam tube.

Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle satellite navigation system using a motor vehicle's structure and characteristic information to calculate a best route to a desired destination. The method includes operating a graphical user interface (GUI), presenting display images for receiving input data for the desired destination and receiving satellite position data, and calculating a current location of the motor vehicle. The GUI presents a display image requesting motor vehicle structure and characteristic information. The method includes calculating and updating current best routes to a desired destination using map and POI databases comprising geographic coordinate grid and point of interest information from the current location and motor vehicle structure and characteristic information.

Abstract: An I/O driver has v/i characteristic control for maintaining a substantially flat output impedance response using a transmission gate configuration at an I/O output pad. The configuration includes a linear resistive element electrically connected at an I/O pad for limiting a processed data I/O signal, an active impedance element for receiving and processing the data signal, which comprises data represented by a series of voltage state transitions, and pull-up and pull-down array calibration words, for generating and outputting a processed I/O output signal to the resistive element to output a substantially flat v/i response at switching of the data signal.