Abstract: Disclosed is a probe for mass spectrometry of liquid samples, which may effectively ionize the sample without adding a protic solvent to the mobile phase in the ionization method in mass spectrometry of liquid samples. The probe according to the present invention has a structure represented by the Formula [I]: R2-A-R1[I] (wherein R1 represents an ionic functional group which becomes an ion in a solvent, R2 represents a structure which can bind to other substance, and A represents an arbitrary spacer moiety).

Abstract: Reduced size images may be generated by separating dimensions that span the original image into a plurality of groups so that data in each group of one or more dimensions may be processed differently from data of other groups. For example, for two-dimensional images, pixels of selected lines may be completely discarded or skipped while pixels of remaining lines may be processed along the x-dimension to obtain data of the reduced size image. The main advantages include very fast and efficient implementation, minimal storage requirements, and good image quality.

Abstract: Methods for executing load instructions are disclosed. In one method, a load instruction and corresponding thread information are received. Address information of the load instruction is used to generate an address of the needed data, and the address is used to search a cache memory for the needed data. If the needed data is found in the cache memory, a cache hit signal is generated. At least a portion of the address is used to search a queue for a previous load and/or store instruction specifying the same address. If such a previous load/store instruction is found, the thread information is used to determine if the previous load/store instruction is from the same thread. If the previous load/store instruction is from the same thread, the cache hit signal is ignored, and the load instruction is stored in the queue. A load/store unit is also described.

Abstract: A file tracking system including a processor, which maintains and interfaces with a database, a plurality of file folder retainers, and a plurality of file folders. The file tracking system actively maintains and updates the database, which includes file information, file location, and unique file address for the plurality of files, by providing interactive communication between the processor, the folder retainers, and the file folders. Each file folder may include an indicator light, such as an LED, which a user may cause to blink when trying to locate the file folder at a location accessed from the database.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of updating the cache state information for store transactions in an system in which store transactions only read the cache state information upon entering the unit pipe or store portion of the store/load queue. In this invention, store transactions in the unit pipe and queue are checked whenever a cache line is modified, and their cache state information updated as necessary. When the modification is an invalidate, the check tests that the two share the same physical addressable location. When the modification is a validate, the check tests that the two involve the same data cache line.

Abstract: A light emitting apparatus comprising a light emitting device (101) disposed on a supporting body (105), and coating layers ((108, 109) that bind a fluorescent substance that absorbs light emitted by the light emitting device (101) and emits light of a different wavelength and secures the fluorescent substance onto the surface of the light emitting device (101). The coating layers (108, 109) are made of an inorganic material including an oxide and a hydroxide, each containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Ga, Ti, Ge, P, B, Zr, Y, Sn, Pb and alkali earth metals. Also an adhesive layer (110) is made of the same inorganic material as that of the coating layers (108, 109).

Abstract: In a networked client/server system, media content is streamed from a server computer to a client computer. A media file format is used to store data for multiple timeline-altered streams that provides support for switching between the different timeline-altered streams during their presentation. According to one embodiment, a time code stream includes multiple data objects mapping corresponding timeline-altered stream data units to primary stream presentation times, and an index table mapping primary stream presentation times to timeline-altered stream byte offsets.

Abstract: A method to reduce lost postal revenue by identifying and sorting a mail piece by determining whether algorithmically-resolved image data corresponding to the mail piece indicates that the mail piece is business reply mail. The method is facilitated in part by maintaining data related to each business reply customer account. The business reply customer data is consulted and compared to a predetermined set of criteria to ascertain if the possibly incomplete, incorrect, or ambiguous data discernable from the captured image of the mail piece is indicative of, at a minimum, that the mail piece is business reply for the purpose of sortation to an appropriate business reply collection point, and in addition, that a high-confidence match to a customer account can be obtained for the purpose of automated charge assessment. Machine-readable sortation signals are generated in accordance with the most refined level of sortation indicated by the consultation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for authenticating documents. Document data to be modified to contain authentication is inputted. A representation is determined from the document data. Assist information that is usable to reliably recover a determined representation is determined. A one-way hash of the representation and assist information is determined. The one-way hash is then cryptographically signed. The assist information and digitally signed one-way hash is then appended to the document.

Abstract: A method is provided of fabricating a damascene interconnection. The method begins by forming on a substrate a first dielectric layer, a capping layer on the first dielectric sublayer and a resist pattern over the capping layer to define a first interconnect opening. The capping layer and the dielectric layer are etched through the resist pattern to form the first interconnect opening. The resist pattern is removed and a barrier layer is applied over the capping layer and in the first interconnect opening. An interconnection is formed by filling the first interconnect opening with conductive material. The interconnection is planarized to remove excess material and a portion of the first dielectric layer damaged by the planarizing step is selectively etched. A second dielectric layer is applied to replace the damaged portion of the first dielectric.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for remapping channel data are presented. Multiple successive frames carrying data in timeslots are received. The timeslots are assigned to channels so that data for the channels includes interleaved data. The data from the multiple successive frames for each of a predetermined number of the timeslots are aggregated. The aggregated data is mapped, by timeslot, to produce a timeslot-based map. The aggregated data of the timeslot-based map is remapped to produce a channel-based map in which the data for the channels are grouped together by channel in the order that the data were received.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device having a predetermined epitaxial region, such as an active region, with reduced defect density includes the steps of: (a) forming a dielectric cladding region on a major surface of a single crystal body of a first material; (b) forming a first opening that extends to a first depth into the cladding region; (c) forming a smaller second opening, within the first opening, that extends to a second depth greater than the first depth and that exposes an underlying portion of the major surface of the single crystal body; (d) epitaxially growing regions of a second semiconductor material in each of the openings and on the top of the cladding region; (e) controlling the dimensions of the second opening so that defects are confined to the epitaxial regions grown within the second opening and on top of the cladding region, a first predetermined region being located within the first opening and being essentially free of defects; (f) planarizing the top of the device to remove all

Abstract: A system and method for electromagnetic position determination utilizing a calibration process. For calibration, a transmitter is positioned at multiple locations in an area of interest and multiple receivers receive and record signal characteristics from the transmitter to generate a calibration data set. The unknown position of a transmitter may be determined by receiving signals from the transmitter by multiple receivers. A locator data set is generated based on the comparison between two received signal characteristics determined for each receiver. The locator data set is compared with the calibration data set to determine the unknown position. In one embodiment, the signal comparisons are the differences between electric and magnetic field phase. Further embodiments utilize signal amplitude differences. A reciprocal method utilizing a single receiver and multiple transmitter locations is disclosed.

Abstract: An operational state of C-AF processing is judged. If the operational state is judged to not be a focused state, when the operational state is a state of fine adjustment, only a range in a vicinity of a current position of a focus lens is searched, and a focused state is set. When the operational state is a state where the focus lens is being driven to a focus position, only a range in a vicinity of a focus position already been detected is searched, and the focused state is set. When the operational state is a state during searching for a peak, searching is carried out in a current driving direction from a current position of the focus lens, and the focused state is set. When the operational state is none of above states, an entire region is searched, and the focused state is set.

Abstract: A self-contained beverage chilling apparatus including a refrigerant cooling system comprising a refrigerant reservoir in a fluid communication with a cold plate, a refrigerator accumulator, a compressor and a refrigerant condenser mounted within a housing unit. The housing unit further included beverage inlet means in fluid communication with the cooling system cold plate, and beverage dispenser means in fluid communication with the cold plate wherein the beverage to be dispensed is chilled to a desired temperature as it passes through the cold plate to the beverage dispensing means.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to significantly improve weather resistance over a long period of time of the cured product of the invention, while maintaining physical properties, such as tensile properties and rubber-like elasticity, at levels required of sealing compositions for use in general buildings. The curable composition of the invention is a curable composition which comprises a vinyl polymer having a reactive silicon containing group (a), such as a (meth) acrylic polymer having a reactive silicon containing group, a polyoxyalkylene polymer having a reactive silicon containing group (b), such as a polyoxypropylene having a reactive silicon containing group, and a plasticizer having an acrylic component (c), such as an acrylic polymer, and is reacted and crosslinked in the presence of moisture to provide a rubbery cured product.

Abstract: A dynamic logic gate has an asymmetrical dual-gate PFET device for charging a dynamic node during a pre-charge phase of a clock. A logic tree evaluates the dynamic node during an evaluate phase of the clock. The front gate of the asymmetrical dual-gate PFET device is coupled to the clock signal and the back gate is coupled to the ground potential of the power supply. When the clock is a logic zero both the front gate and the back gate are biased ON and the dynamic node charges with maximum current. The clock signal transitions to a logic one during the evaluation phase of the clock turning OFF the front gate. The back gate remains ON and the asymmetrical dual-gate PFET device operates as a keeper device with a current level sufficient to counter leakage on the dynamic node.

Abstract: A communication protocol for use between serially chained portable pendant peripherals and a portable host device. The bus communications system protocol enables multiple low power input/output peripherals to communicate over a bi-directional data line with a portable host device such as a PDA or cellular phone. A message packet data structure for use in the bus communications system includes a device identifier, a packet type identifier, and message data bits. The packet type identifier describes the actions associated with the packet. A method determines whether the message packet received by a device is intended for the device by evaluating if the device identifier is zero. If the device identifier is other than zero, the method modifies the device identifier and communicates the message packet to another device in the bus communications system.