Abstract: A method for the complete segmentation of an image into regions of near-uniform color first segments the image into blocks of size N×M and applies color clustering within these blocks. This is done with a sequential color clustering algorithm. Subsequent to this, the color clusters that are spatially adjacent and also have similar color characteristics are merged. This is done through a novel method which combines distance in the feature space with distance in the spatial domain. This results in spatially compact color regions which have similar color information. The result of applying this technique is a complete segmentation of the image according to regions of near-uniform color.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that allows object oriented (OOP) applications to incorporate scripting easily and in a uniform manner. The Bean Scripting Framework (BSF) supports scripting on the OOP programming language-side, where the programming language runs and evaluates scripts, and also in cases where scripts run and control objects. The BSFManager provides scripting services for the application program as well as support services for scripting engines to interact with the OOP programming language runtime environment. The BSF also has a registry of known scripting languages which the application program can interact with. The scripting architecture allows OOP programming language applications to be customized and managed further downstream than previously possible.

Abstract: A light source-optical fiber coupler using a gradient index rod lens 12 by which a diffused luminous flux emitted from a light source (for example, a semiconductor laser 10) is coupled onto an end surface of an optical fiber (for example, a single-mode optical fiber 14). The gradient index rod lens has a planar end surface facing the light source, and a convex spherical end surface facing the optical fiber. The gradient index rod lens has a light source side numerical aperture NA2 in a range of from 0.40 to 0.75, an effective lens radius r0 in a range of from 0.3 to 1.0 mm, and a spherical curvature radius R1 in a range of from 1.2 to 2.0 mm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring data between a handheld device and a network over a wireless communications link. A datapool manager breaks files into virtual blocks and adds the virtual blocks to a datapool. A communications manager converts the virtual blocks into transportation packets and controls the transfer of the transportation packets between the handheld device and the network. After a transportation packet is transferred, an acknowledgment is returned indicating that the transfer was successful. If the transfer of a file is interrupted, then, upon reestablishing the wireless link, only those transportation packets for which an acknowledgment has not been returned are transferred. To properly reconstruct the file, a pointer indicates the location of each transportation packet in the file. Furthermore, to enable the use of a partially transferred file, a table of information is maintained indicating the validity of the partially transferred file.

Abstract: A PC card slot and an information processing device using the PC card slot are provided which are capable of having a user recognize a state of a PC card so that the user should not pull out the PC card carelessly or accidentally during access to the PC card or before completion of software termination procedures. The PC card slot is equipped with a PC card interface and a light emitting unit which goes on or off in response to a state of the PC card connected to the PC card interface.

Abstract: A system and method to facilitate communications among team members or subscribers using a virtual assistant and a derived points of contact (POC) list to initiate contacts. The virtual assistant automates the task of reaching a party to be contacted through trying a variety of POC options until a connection is established or the options are exhausted. The system takes advantage of the POC provided by a person to be contacted, reducing the burden of maintaining a complete personal contact list by each team member or subscriber. The virtual assistant uses the derived POC list to establish a preferred method for contacting a team member or subscriber.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures are provided with on-board deuterium reservoirs or with deuterium ingress paths which allow for diffusion of deuterium to semiconductor device regions for passivation purposes. The on-board deuterium reservoirs are in the form of plugs which extend through an insulating layer and a deuterium barrier layer to the semiconductor substrate, and are preferably positioned in contact with a shallow trench oxide which will allow diffusion of deuterium to the semiconductor devices. The deuterium ingress paths extend through thin film layers from the top or through the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A computer-based method for the identification of binding targets in proteins and other macromolecules is provided. More particularly, the invention includes an algorithm aimed at predicting binding targets in proteins. This algorithm, named Woolford, requires knowledge of the high resolution structure of the protein but no knowledge of the location or identity of natural binding sites or ligands. Binding targets in the protein are identified and classified according to their expected optimal affinities. Binding targets can be located at the protein surface or at internal surfaces that become exposed as a result of partial unfolding, conformational changes, subunit dissociation, or other events. The entire protein is mapped according to the binding potential of its constituent atoms. Once binding targets are identified, optimal ligands are designed and progressively built by the addition of individual atoms or chemical groups that complement structurally and energetically the selected target.

Abstract: A male connector is connected to a female connector which includes a plurality of terminal hole pairs, each having a signal terminal hole and an earth terminal hole which are arranged in a first direction. The plurality of terminal hole pairs are arranged on the female connector body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The male connector includes a male connector body, a plurality of signal terminal pins and a plurality of earth terminal pins. The signal terminal pins are provided on the male connector body, and are accommodated in the signal terminal holes respectively. The plurality of earth terminal pins are provided on the male connector body, and are accommodated in the earth terminal holes. The earth terminal pins are smaller in number than the earth terminal holes of the female connector.

Abstract: A router allowing the entry hit probability of the cache to be increased is disclosed. The cache is searched using a different mask for each cache entry. A maximum or optimum cache prefix length is determined as a length of upper bits of the destination address of the received packet which are not masked by a corresponding mask. Alternatively, the cache is searched using longest prefix match (LFM). A cache entry allowing a plurality of destination addresses to be hit can be registered in the cache, resulting in increased cache hit probability.

Abstract: An optical module for optically coupling an input side and an output side with each other through an optically functional portion inserted between the input side and the output side. At least one of the input side and the output side includes a plurality of collimators. At least one of the collimators is made different from the other collimators in at least one of the distance between the focal point of a corresponding lens and a corresponding light exit or incident surface, the numerical aperture of the light exit or incident surface, the effective focal length of the lens, the wavelength used and the distance between optical axes of adjacent ones of the collimators so that the size and position of a beam waist on an input side are made substantially coincident with those on an output side.

Abstract: A bitline contact and method of forming bitline contact for a vertical DRAM array using a bitline contact mask. In the method, gate conductor lines are formed. An oxide layer is deposited over the gate conductor lines, and a bitline contact mask is formed over portions of the oxide layer. The bitline contact mask is etched, and a silicon layer is deposited on the substrate. A bitline layer is deposited on the silicon layer. A masking and etching operation is performed on the bitline layer. A M0 metal is deposited over the silicon layer and on sides of non etched portions of the bitline (M0) layer to form left and right bitlines.

Abstract: In a pressure sensitive sensor circuit, a first conductive path has a first resistor which has a first resistance value and a second conductive path has a second resistor which has a second resistance value lower than the first resistance value of the first resistor and the second resistor is connected to the first resistor in series. A third conductive path has an open circuit which is connected to the second resistor in parallel. The open circuit of the third conductive path is short-circuited when a relationship between input pressure and output level in the pressure sensitive sensor circuit need to regulation of the resistance value in the pressure sensitive sensor.

Abstract: The invention provides a waveguide type liquid crystal optical switch that includes first and second cores so as to form a space therebetween, in which an optical path is switched between the first and second cores; a third core provided apart from the first and second cores, into which nematic liquid crystal orientated by an orientation film along a predetermined direction is filled, the third core overlapping to the space formed between the first and second cores; a first electrode arranged on an opposite side of the first and second cores with respect to the third core so as to overlap to the space between the first and second cores, second and third electrodes arranged on both sides of the first electrode, for orienting liquid crystal molecules along a direction perpendicular to the orientation direction of the orientation film; and a cladding for incorporating the cores and the electrodes.

Abstract: JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) images are encoded and decoded as fast as possible for a variety of disparate applications. A novel structure stores the 8×8 Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) blocks after entropy decoding in a JPEG decoder or after the Forward Discrete Cosine Transform (FDCT) in the JPEG encoder to use as an intermediate format between transform processes. The format was chosen to speed up the entropy decode and encode processes and is based on the information needed for the JPEG Huffman entropy coding, but lends itself to fast execution of other DCT based transforms, including arithmetic entropy coding.

Abstract: The liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes a liquid holding material which has three-dimensional voids communicating three-dimensionally with one another at least up to a liquid droplet ejection surface and an array of a plurality of ejection devices each of which applies ejection energy to a part of liquid held in the thee-dimensional voids of the liquid holding material, thereby ejecting fine liquid droplets from the liquid droplet ejection surface, wherein the fine liquid droplets are ejected in accordance with each of the ejection devices of the array. The inkjet recording head uses the liquid droplet ejection apparatus for an ink ejection means as it is or in a form of a one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional arrangement.

Abstract: High performance asymmetric transistors including controllable diode characteristics at the source and/or drain are developed by supplying impurities with high accuracy of location by angled implants in a trench or diffusion from a solid body formed as a sidewall of doped material. High concentration gradient of impurities to support high performance is achieved by providing for reduced heat treatment after the impurity is supplied in order to limit diffusion previously necessary to achieve the desired location of impurity structures. Damascene or quasi-Damascene gate structures are also provided for high dimensional uniformity, increased manufacturing yield and structural integrity of the transistor.

Abstract: Fibers of improved quality can be produced with a reduced energy input in a device for producing synthetic materials which has a polymer melt feed leading to a rotating hollow reactor (1), the wall of which can be heated and which widens conically in order to guide a film melt towards an open side that can be closed with a lid (13), and which has ribs (4) for dividing the melt film into fibers that grow rigid after leaving the hollow reactor (1); and said improved quality can be achieved specifically in that the hollow reactor (1) is vertically oriented and exhibits a continuously curved inner wall and at the curved upper side exhibits an opening (3) for introducing the polymer melt, and in that a rotating distributor plate (12) is positioned opposite the opening (3), a slight distance from the inner wall of the hollow reactor (1).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a PLL circuit, a phase adjuster, a picture-data-sampling circuit, a liquid crystal display driver, a video signal processor, and a liquid crystal display panel. The phase adjuster comprises a delay circuit, a comparator, a counter, and a controller. The PLL generates a dot clock which is delayed by the delay circuit by a delay time designated by the controller to be a sampling clock. The counter counts the number of sampling edges of the sampling clock from a negative edge of a horizontal synchronization signal to a positive edge of a binarized video signal supplied from the comparator. The controller observes the number of sampling edges while adjusting the delay to determine the worst sampling clock and sets the best sampling clock whose phase is at a straight angle to the phase of the worst sampling clock.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing two kinds of printed circuit boards from one master board, comprises the steps of preparing the master board, forming slits on the master board to define a first circuit area, and executing: (a) forming first cut grooves extending substantially perpendicular to the slits so as to across outer side of both ends of the slits on the master board to define a second circuit area which surrounds the first circuit area, and cutting the master board along the first cut grooves to separate a first individual circuit board including the first and second circuit areas, or (b) forming second cut grooves on the master board so as to across both ends of the slits, and cutting the master board along the second cut grooves to separate a second individual circuit board including only the first circuit area.