Abstract: A loyalty suite business method is described for building profitable customer relationships. The method is based on a combination of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Intelligence (BI) and Customer Value Management (CVM). The structure of the method is based on an engagement model, followed by phases, activities, tasks, work products and technique papers. The Loyalty Suite approach takes a customer-centered view and integrates CRM operational processes, customer collaboration touchpoints and CRM analytical processes. This results in identification of factors which engender loyalty from a customer perspective. This then determines the enablers and capabilities needed by a client enterprise seeking to deliver customer value.

Abstract: A fault analyzing system presumes fault propagation paths for specifying nodes related to fault terminals once on plural time planes, and merges pieces of related fault terminal information representative of the fault terminals related to the nodes on different time planes in different manners so that plural list of plural kinds of fault are drawn up without repeating the time-consuming presumption.

Abstract: A method, a system, and a program product for reconstructing surface geometry from discrete points on an object are disclosed. The method comprises steps of; providing input data derived from said discrete points; generating a graph from said input data, said graph including biconnected graphs; subjecting said graph to triconnected component decomposition to generate a component graph; generating all possible embeddings including possible face loops from said surface geometry; filling said possible face loops with possible surface to reconstruct said surface geometry; examining geometrical acceptance of said surfaces and omitting embeddings, including at least one geometrically unacceptable surface from computation thereafter and scoring said embeddings depending on said examination; and sorting said embeddings with respect to said scores to select embeddings for reconstructing said surface geometry.

Abstract: Sequestrants and inhibitors of protease are applied to the wound site through the use of wound dressing based carrier systems to which they may be optionally ionically or covalently bound for the purpose of the initiation or enhancement of healing associated with chronic non-healing wounds.

Abstract: A test methodology is used to conduct an automatic chip timing analysis in coarse and fine resolution steps. Timing adjustment circuits implement coarse timing adjustment and fine timing adjustment for chip timing analysis. Timings such as clock, address and control inputs to a memory system can be digitally adjusted with respect to each other. A timer circuit is provided with a counter so that an incremental or decremental timing analysis can be carried out with a specific timing step. An algorithm is implemented which provides an effective, low-cost and accurate timing analysis. A nested loop is set up in the BIST where all possibilities of timing relationships between two or more signals can be applied to a device under test, and weaknesses, or failing timing conditions, can be found.

Abstract: A multiplication module, including a first input unit and a second input unit, for multiplying m bits of data in a Galois field GF(2m)(m?1), includes: first and second power arithmetic units for receiving the first m bits of data from the first input unit; a first multiplication unit for receiving the first m bits of data and the output of the first power arithmetic unit; a second multiplication unit for receiving second m bits of data from the second input unit and the output of the second power arithmetic unit; a selection unit for receiving an output signal from the second multiplication unit and the second m bits of data; and a control unit for outputting a control signal to the first power arithmetic unit, the second arithmetic unit and the selection unit, wherein the first power arithmetic unit receives a first control signal, the second power arithmetic unit receives a second control signal, and the selection unit receives a third control signal, for controlling the output of the selection unit, while

Abstract: A method for removing carbon from or stripping a TERA layer. The method includes exposing the TERA layer to a plasma containing an effective amount of nitrogen, and, optionally, oxygen or fluorine. The method is compatible with fluorine based etching systems, and may thus be performed in the same etching system as other etching steps. For example, the method may be performed in the same system as a fluorine based plasma etch for oxide or nitride. The invention includes the method of stripping a TERA layer, etching an oxide layer, and etching a nitride layer in situ in the same etching system. The method is performed at low ion energies to avoid damaging oxide or nitride layers under the TERA film and to provide good selectivity.

Abstract: A network handler uses a DMA device to assign packets to network processors in accordance with a mapping function which classifies packets based on its content, e.g., bits in one or more header fields. Preferably, the mapping function is implemented as a hash function, which uses a predetermined number of bits from packet as inputs. The result of this function specifies the processor to which the packet is assigned. To make implementation manageable in a high-traffic environment, each processor may be equipped with a queue, which holds pointer information. Such a pointer provides an indication of the area in memory where incoming packet resides. The network handler is particularly useful in a Fiber Channel environment, where the hash function may be implemented to assign all packets from the same sequence to the same processor, thereby resulting in improved processing efficiency.

Abstract: Flickering artifacts are removed from a displayed image by storing digital luminance values in a compressed form using disallowed luminance values clipped from a range of luminance values to encode run lengths of identical values of truncated luminance values and bits corresponding to bits truncated from the luminance values. A correction value is derived from a filter transfer function computed by summing an increase in correction value above a threshold within a range of luminance differences with a maximum change in correction value in each lower range, this providing a piecewise linear substantially quadratic transfer function without discontinuities that would engender other image artifacts. The non-linearity of the transfer function is this adaptive to different image conditions and types in regions of respective image planes and the correction factors implemented by the transfer function are freely adjustable to accommodate, for example, different scanning standards and display refresh rates.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer protocol is based on the use of global timestamps and client priorities in serializing modifications to a shared workspace of real-time collaboration. The method caters to dynamic clients wherein a client can leave or join an ongoing collaboration session as long as there is always at least one client present/remaining in the collaboration session. The method can support multiple definitions of a modification, including partitioning-based definitions, wherein the method provides full support for locking of partitions, and a full treatment of inter-partition synchronization via a modification definition over multiple partitions. The method is capable of utilizing the many standard methods of creating a global, distributed, synchronized clock for the global timestamps utilized by it. The method is rollback-based for correcting tentative but incorrect serializations, and provides additional backup in terms of checkpoints for additional safety and for the support of lightweight, pervasive clients.

Abstract: A remote control system for operating a data processing device from a remote place by using a portable device while the user is out or the like is disclosed. In the system, the portable device associated with the data processing device sends control data for operating the data processing device to a server via the Internet, and calls the data processing device via a telephone network. The data processing device refers to a caller's number communicated when the current call is accepted, and recognizes, based on the caller's number, whether the call is issued from the portable device associated with the data processing device. The data processing device downloads the control data from the server if the call is issued from the portable device, and executes a process indicated by the downloaded control data.

Abstract: A 128(H)×64(V)×RGB CMOS imager is integrated with region-of-interest selection, RGB-to-HSI transformation, HSI-based pixel segmentation, 36-bins×12bits HSI histogramming and sum-of-absolute-difference template matching. 32 learned color templates are stored and compared to each image. Running at 30 fps, it uses 1 mW.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for mapping an action, occurring within a customer servicing computer system, from a meta-level domain to tasks within a system-level domain are described. The actions are defined to have a plurality of data-fields, each of which has attributes. For a subset of the meta-data fields, and for each field within the subset, the mapper key is formed from a portion of the attributes. Each mapper key is compared with a set of task templates. The task templates define a sequence of system-level domain tasks. If there is a match of all the mapper keys with a respective template, then a system-level domain task sequence is formed to give effect to the action as the collective tasks of all task templates.

Abstract: In the function-selecting scene, if one of component keys of a function-selecting key is touched by a user's finger, a cursor is shifted to an item corresponding to the component key touched by the user's finger (S4). If the user gives a push at the same key (S5), the item specified by the cursor is definitely fixed, and steps assigned to the selected item are successively executed (S6). If the user's finger touches the next component key of the function selecting key, the cursor is shifted to the other item corresponding to the next component key (S4). Since information to be inputted is definitely fixed when the user pushes down the key touched by his finger, he can decide to input information, only watching the display and without seeing the keys.

Abstract: An image signal processing device enables white balance with high precision to be obtained while causing circuit scale to be reduced, causing number of control line to be small, and causing influence of dispersion of elements to be small.

Abstract: In a mobile communication device having a first wireless section for a portable phone and a second wireless section for short range wireless data communication, the second wireless section is controlled by a control section so that it is intermittently put into an on-state under control of a control section in a standby state so as to reduce power consumption of the second wireless section. Such intermittent on-state is established by intermittently turning a battery of the second wireless section in the on-state by the control section. The second wireless section may be controlled individually from or dependently on the first wireless section.

Abstract: Incident light rays (11) given from an optical fiber (10) are converted into parallel light rays (12) by a collimator lens (2). The parallel light rays (12) are demultiplexed in accordance with wavelengths by a diffraction grating (3). After the demultiplexed light rays arrive at the collimator lens (2) again, the light rays are converted into convergent light rays (14) and converged into a photo acceptance element array. Because the converging/image-forming positions of respective channels are arranged at irregular pitches in accordance with wavelengths, signals of the channels can be taken out accurately and efficiently from photo acceptance elements respectively when the photo acceptance elements are provided in the converging/image-forming positions respectively.

Abstract: A cellular phone of the present invention is capable of displaying an in-absence incoming call message on a display if the user of the phone does not answer an incoming call. At the same time as the in-absence incoming call message is displayed, a timer starts counting a period of time set therein beforehand. A reporting device alerts the user to the incoming call when the timer counts up the preselected period of time. The phone therefore alerts the user to the incoming call not noticed or answered by the user despite that the user carries it.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a 4T (four transistor) SRAM cells. Stability, fabrication and integration density advantages as well as a high degree of soft error immunity with small and potentially tailorable write delay penalty may potentially be available in a memory cell by providing a source of pull down current through leakage of stabilizing capacitors, pass gate transistor leakage/off current, or a combination thereof. The source of pull down current allows omission of active pull down devices in a four transistor memory cell circuit to substantially reduce memory cell size or footprint while providing levels of soft error immunity comparable to or exceeding that of known 6T memory cell designs fabricated at comparable minimum feature size regimes and avoiding the expected increase of soft error rates as minimum feature size and/or number of circuit elements is reduced.

Abstract: A secure credit card has a pair of linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) for generating a pair of random numbers. The LFSRs each have a unique initial state and feedback tap configuration. Hence, they each produce a unique sequence of numbers. When a financial transaction occurs, the LFSRs are operated for a random number of clock cycles, to create a pair of matched random numbers. Each card issued has unique LFSR settings, and so will produce characteristic random numbers. At a financial institution, the LFSR settings are known, so the financial institution can determine by calculation if the pair of random numbers is authentic. There are many variations, including a credit card with a secret security code for activation, and 2-way “handshake” communication with the financial institution. Also, one of the LFSRs may be replaced with a binary, or similar counter.