Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a resonator that is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a first capacitor that is connected to the first terminal and a ground line supplying the ground electric potential, a second capacitor that is connected to the second terminal and the ground line, m inverters, where m is an odd number equal to or larger than three, which are connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a third capacitor that is connected to an input terminal of the n-th (where n is an integer satisfying 1?n<m) inverter, counted from an input side of the inverter array and an output terminal of the (n+1)-th inverter.

Abstract: A laser safety device and method of protecting against harmful levels of radiation. The device includes a housing with first and second apertures. A photodetector generates a first signal corresponding to a level of radiation entering the housing through the first aperture. A control circuit receives the first signal and generates a drive signal based upon the level of the radiation. A reflector array which can include micro-electro-mechanical mirrors receives the drive signal and diverts a first part of the radiation away from an incident path extending from the first aperture to the second aperture. The reflector array allows a second part of the radiation to continue along the incident path at a safe level towards the second aperture. Optionally, the reflector array blocks the incident path so that substantially no radiation passes to the second aperture if unsafe levels are detected.

Abstract: A charge pump is configured to control current flow at an output node in response to input signals. A plurality of control signals are generated based upon the input signals. The control signals operate to control the timing and duration of current flows within the charge pump and to thereby reduce charge pump power consumption. Based upon the control signals, the conductivity of a first path between a power supply and the output node and a second path between the output node and a ground potential is varied. Optionally, the charge pump is disposed as part of a phase-locked loop (PLL), the input signals are produced by a phase/frequency detector, and current flow at the output node controls an oscillator element.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for processing secure transactions. An electromagnetic transmission packet is received from a portable device at a processing device. The electromagnetic transmission packet includes an encrypted magnetic-stripe image and an encrypted version of an alphanumerical identifier. A keyed nonencrypted version of the alphanumerical identifier is received at the processing device, and the encrypted version of the alphanumerical identifier is decrypted. The decryption of the encrypted version of the alphanumerical identifier is compared with the nonencrypted version of the alphanumerical identifier. Thereafter, a decryption of the encrypted magnetic-stripe image is transmitted to a host system for processing the secure transaction using an account identified by the decryption of the magnetic-stripe image.

Abstract: A method of operating a bake plate disposed in a semiconductor processing chamber having a face plate opposing the bake plate includes providing a temperature control signal to the bake plate and measuring a face plate temperature associated with the face plate. The method also includes determining a difference between the face plate temperature and a predetermined temperature and modifying the temperature control signal provided to the bake plate in response to the determined difference.

Abstract: A suite of polymer/zeolite nanocomposite membranes. The polymer backbone is preferably a film forming fluorinated sulfonic acid containing copolymer, such as a Teflon type polymer, a perfluorinated polymer, or a perfluorinated polymer with sulfonic groups. The zeolites formed in accordance with the present invention and which are used in the membranes are plain, phenethyl functionalized and acid functionalized zeolite FAU(Y) and BEA nanocrystals. The zeolite nanocrystals are incorporated into polymer matrices for membrane separation applications like gas separations, and in polymer-exchange-membrane fuel cells. For the purpose of developing zeolite-polymer nanocomposite membranes, the zeolite nanocrystals are size-adjustable to match the polymer-network dimensions.

Abstract: A system for laser amplification includes a dual-crystal Pockels cell which is used to control emission of laser pulses from an ultra-fast laser. The Pockels cell is constructed to enable adjustment of the rotational orientation of one crystal relative to the other crystal. The rotational orientation of one or both crystals in the Pockels cell is adjusted to control sidebands in the laser pulse.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating or ameliorating diseases and other conditions, such as infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases and allergies are provided. The methods employ cyclic AGPs for selectively stimulating immune responses in animals and plants.

Abstract: A method for performing erasing operation in a nonvolatile memory device includes the steps of applying an erasing voltage to P-wells of a selected memory cell block which is composed of a plurality of strings in each of which a plurality of memory cells and side memory cells are connected in series; performing soft programming operation by applying a soft programming voltage to word lines of the selected memory cell block; and programming the side memory cells by applying a programming voltage to the side memory cells.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flash memory device is disclosed. A first oxide layer, a nitride layer, a second oxide layer, and a first polysilicon layer, which is a part of a polysilicon layer for a control gate, are formed to a predetermined thickness on a semiconductor substrate. A first etch process is performed to form gate patterns. An insulating layer is formed on the entire surface. A second etch process is implemented so that insulating layer spacers are formed on both sidewalls of each gate pattern while exposing the first polysilicon layer. A second polysilicon layer for the control gate is formed on the entire surface.

Abstract: A method of increasing the intrinsic viscosity of polyester by means of solid state polymerization, wherein a polyester plastics melt is granulated and after granulation is conveyed into a thermal treatment container (13) for thermal treatment therein, the granules being produced slightly below their melting temperature and being fed into the thermal treatment container (13) immediately after granulation so as to utilize the residual heat in the granules, as well as an arrangement for increasing the intrinsic viscosity of polyester by means of solid state polymerization with a granulating and a thermal treatment unit, with an unheated, thermally insulated container (13) or a container (13) having wall heating means (15) being provided as the thermal treatment unit, which is directly connected to the granulating unit via a conveying device (11, 36, 37).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery protection circuit for protecting a plurality of batteries connected in series. The battery protection circuit includes: a controller for monitoring the batteries and outputting control signals based on predetermined conditions associated with the batteries; a first N-channel MOSFET and a second N-channel MOSFET coupled in a common-drain configuration in a low-side path, wherein at least one of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs turns off in response to the control signal received from the controller when at least one of the predetermined conditions is detected; and a gate protection circuit for preventing gate-to-source voltages of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs from exceeding a predetermined gate-to-source voltage level.

Abstract: Drug-Linker-Ligand Conjugates are disclosed in which a Drug is linked to a Ligand via a peptide-based Linker unit. In one embodiment, the Ligand is an Antibody. Drug-Linker compounds and Drug compounds are also disclosed. Methods for treating cancer, an autoimmune disease or an infectious disease using the compounds and compositions of the invention are also disclosed.

Abstract: The number of crossbars in a graphics processing unit is reduced by assigning each of a plurality of pixels to one of a plurality of pixel shaders based at least in part on a location of each of the plurality of pixels within an image area, generating an attribute value for each of the plurality of pixels using the plurality of pixel shaders, mapping the attribute value of each of the plurality of pixels to one of a plurality of memory partitions, and storing the attribute values in the memory partitions according to the mapping. The attribute value generated by a particular one of the pixel shaders is mapped to the same one of the plurality of memory partitions.

Abstract: A combat IFF system, for use in a combat exercise or on the battlefield, including a helmet-mounted passive IFF response unit and a weapon-mounted IFF interrogatory unit for each soldier. Infrared (IR) signals are employed for both challenge and response. The IR response signal is a very narrowly-targeted reflection of the relatively narrow IR transmit signal, thereby minimizing interception opportunities. The transmit and response signals are encoded in a transaction that cannot be compromised even when either or both signals are intercepted and decoded by the enemy. The combat IFF system includes biometric anti-spoofing features that prevent any use by an enemy in possession of captured units. Military radio-frequency (RF) spectrum is not required so there are no bandwidth limitations on simultaneous IFF transactions in the battlefield. A combat IFF transaction is completed in milliseconds.

Abstract: A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to gather first committed transactional record from a first transaction log associated with a first data source. The first committed transactional record is converted to a homogeneous format to form a first homogeneous transactional record with a common transaction record header containing transactional context information from the first data source. A second committed transactional record is collected from a second transaction log associated with a second data source with a format different than the first data source. The second committed transactional record is changed to the homogeneous format to form a second homogeneous transactional record with a common transaction record header containing transactional context information from the second data source. The first homogeneous transactional record is combined with the second homogeneous transactional record to form a homogeneous transaction data store.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing wrinkled dental aligner for a patient's tooth includes developing a digital dental aligner model specifying at least one wrinkled surface on a dental aligner and producing a dental aligner having the wrinkled surface in accordance with digital dental aligner model.

Abstract: In a storage system, a judgment is made as to whether respective programs installed in storage regions assigned to a plurality of channel control portions exchanging data input/output requests based on designated filenames with information processors connected to the storage system through a network are licensed or not. When a decision is made that the respective programs are licensed, the programs installed in the channel control portions in the storage system are managed to be controlled to be enabled to be used.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protection circuit and method for preventing a battery from swelling in one embodiment. The protection circuit includes: a voltage monitoring circuit that monitors a voltage across the battery; a control circuit that receives voltage information from the voltage monitoring circuit; and a discharge circuit that turns on to discharge the battery upon receiving a signal from the control circuit.