Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes at least a reflective film and a cover layer on a substrate; main data by a combination of pit and land are recorded on the substrate; a write-once recording is made to be possible on the reflective film by irradiating a laser light; sub-data are recorded by a mark that is formed by the irradiation of laser light for the write-once recording with respect to the reflective film; a reproducing signal level at portion where said mark is formed increases for the land of specified length; the mark by which the reproduced level decreases at the portion where the mark is formed is formed for an optical disc recording medium manufactured by physical copy; the reflective film is composed of an Ag-alloy film of Ag100?xXx(0<x<100); and the X is selected from Ti, W, Ta, V, Mo, Nb and Zr.

Abstract: A sanding block and a kit for sanding curved surfaces are provided. The sanding block includes an elongated body which has a first sanding surface; and a sandpaper removably affixed to the first sanding surfaces wherein the body is elastically deformable such that the block can conform against a curved surface to be sanded.

Abstract: Techniques for selecting a call completion response from a group of call completion responses based on weights associated with the call completion responses, are provided. A server processes a call invitation for a callee by forwarding the call invitation to each of the callee's endpoints. Each of the callee's endpoints associates a weight to its call completion response it generates to accept or reject the call invitation. The server waits to receive the call completion responses from each of the callee's endpoints or for a predetermined period of time (i.e., a timeout), and uses the weights associated with the received call completion responses to decide which of the received call completion responses to use to complete the call invitation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for staging transactions and facilitating payments by consumers to a lender or merchant to consummate a financial transaction and/or to maintain a financial relationship. In one embodiment, a method for accepting payments from a consumer includes receiving a promise-to-pay record from a lender (210), receiving a payment from the consumer (220), associating the payment with the promise-to-pay record (230), and sending a notice to the lender (240), with the notice having an indicator that the payment has been received.

Abstract: A cost efficient solution for supporting and deploying custom text analytics applications suited is to provide third party application developers a sand-boxed application development environment such as an appliance computer system, allowing users to leverage data integration, indexing and pre-existing mining platform capabilities for a domain-specific data. Thus, embodiments herein present a system, method, etc. for identifying and delivering domain specific unstructured content for advanced business analysis. The system generally comprises a cluster computer system, a gateway computer system and an appliance computer system.

Abstract: A memory system is presented where sectors are normally stored in logically contiguous groups. As repeated writes of the same small sector group can causes a massive garbage collection (data relocation), the pattern of host access is monitored by checking the sectors' update history and control data structures' update history. When repeated access patterns are detected and then expected again, the “hot” segments are separated into specially handled, non-standard zone in the memory. The non-standard zone has a sector management that is different from the logical groups and optimized for the repeated host accesses in order to reduce the frequency and amount of garbage collection operations.

Abstract: A multi-modal device that can substantially facilitate intelligent shopping. Electronic receipts can be provided to a user wirelessly and stored/indexed on the multi-modal device. Receipts can be categorized (e.g., personal, business, client entertainment) thereby facilitating financial management and accounting. Likewise, such electronic receipts can provide for easier return/exchange of goods. The multi-modal device can also assist in tracking/managing shopping lists and business cards (e.g., provide for business card exchanges). Moreover, the multi-modal device can provide for comparison shopping, catalog shopping, locating products and obtaining more information about a product via visual or audio mechanisms.

Abstract: A modular protective garment includes first and second protective components. The first protective component is configured to protect a portion of a body of a wearer of the garment. The first protective component includes a fabric made from a composite material, the fabric permitting air and water vapor to flow therethrough and being light-weight. The second protective component is also configured to protect a portion of the body of the wearer. A connector releasably attaches the first and second components.

Abstract: A virtualized utility service platform includes a network infrastructure on which a plurality of virtual networks can be provisioned; a hosting infrastructure on which a plurality of virtual hosting systems can be provisioned; a computing infrastructure on which a plurality of virtual computing systems can be provisioned; and a storage infrastructure on which a plurality of virtual storage systems can be provisioned. A system provisioning mechanism provides one or more of: a virtual system comprising a virtual network, virtual hosting, virtual computing and a virtual storage system. The system provisioning system causes the virtual network to be provisioned on the network infrastructure; the virtual hosting to be provisioned on said hosting infrastructure; the computing infrastructure to be provisioned on said computing infrastructure and the virtual storage system to be provisioned on said storage infrastructure.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a computer system operates in a mode that is different from a general purpose operating mode, upon detection of a special actuation mechanism coupled to the computing device. For example, actuation of a special hardware button may boot or resume a sleeping computer system into a direct experience upon actuation, including by launching a special program corresponding to that button. The computer system may thus enter a mode in which it mimics a special purpose device such as a consumer electronics device, e.g., a dedicated media player. When in a direct experience, the computer system may also operate in a constrained/sandboxed mode in which operating system limits available functionality to less than what is available when running as a general purpose computer system, e.g., keyboard operation and/or file access may be limited. Different actuation mechanisms may correspond to different modes.

Abstract: A data searching unit 12 of a data searching apparatus 10 obtains according to a searching request including a search condition specified by a data searching application 16, metadata which satisfy the search condition from a data storage unit 11, and instructs an external communication unit 15 to request searching of data to a data providing apparatus 20 with the same search condition.

Abstract: A differential amplifier circuit with feedback to increase common mode loop gain at low frequencies.

Abstract: An optical device includes a transparent material layer having a desired curved surface configuration, a layer including a variable refractive index material having a dielectric constant anisotropy, at least two transparent electrodes arranged to sandwich the transparent material layer and the variable refractive index material, and a driving device supplying a voltage including driving frequencies f1 and f2 between the transparent electrodes. The difference ?? in the dielectric constant of the variable refractive index material due to the anisotropy is positive at one of the driving frequencies and negative at the other driving frequency.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus for driving an optical disk having formed therein sawtooth wobbles of +STW and ?STW. A pickup receives a laser beam reflected from the optical disk and supplies a reproduced signal to a wobble signal processing section. The wobble signal processing section differentiates the reproduced signal and binarizes the differential signal with reference to a zero level. A pulse length of the binary signal achieved during a positive period is compared with that of the binary signal achieved during a negative period. When the pulse length achieved during the positive period is longer than that achieved during the negative period, the binary signal is determined to be a +STW. In contrast, when the pulse length achieved during the negative period is longer than that achieved during the positive period, the binary signal is determined to be a ?STW, whereby a wobble signal is demodulated.

Abstract: A printed material production apparatus comprises: a picture image input section for inputting a picture image string; a picture image conversion section for converting an inputted picture image string inputted into a panoramic picture image; a picture image processing section for generating a viewing point converted picture image string including a plurality of viewing point converted picture images in accordance with the panoramic picture image generated; and a printing section for producing printed material in accordance with the viewing point converted picture image string generated.

Abstract: Collaboratively reviewing a digital document in a computing environment having a visual interface involves first presenting multiple users with a copy of the digital document in a visual interface. Annotations (such as highlights, underlines, or textual annotations) are made by the users and separately recorded, independently of the client application used to view the digital document. The annotations, though, are logically linked to the digital document, and annotations made by a particular user can be recorded over multiple overlays.

Abstract: A high-sensitivity reflection measurement apparatus disposed in an optical path between a light emitter and a detector of an analysis apparatus comprises an incident-side optical element, which bends the optical path of measurement light emitted from the light emitter such that the angle of incidence of the measurement light so emitted with respect to a sample surface under measurement ranges from 70° inclusive to 90° exclusive with respect to the direction perpendicular to the sample surface under measurement. The measurement light is transmitted as linearly polarized light having a desired oscillation direction, and is incident on the sample surface under measurement. Information related to the measured sample surface is obtained from light reflected from the measured sample surface when the linearly polarized light from the incident-side optical element is incident on the sample surface.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously inspecting the frontsides and backsides of semiconductor wafers for defects is disclosed. The system rotates the semiconductor wafer while the frontside and backside surfaces are generally simultaneously optically scanned for defects. Rotation is induced by providing contact between the beveled edges of the semiconductor wafer and roller bearings rotationally driven by a motor. The wafer is supported in a tilted or semi-upright orientation such that support is provided by gravity. This tilted supporting orientation permits both the frontside and the backside of the wafer to be viewed simultaneously by a frontside inspection device and a backside inspection device.

Abstract: A method of operating a retail system which includes a plurality of self-service checkout terminals, a first remote supervisor terminal, and a second remote supervisor terminal includes the step of operating the first remote supervisor terminal such that the first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a first period of time. The method also includes the step of maintaining the second remote supervisor terminal in an idle mode of operation such that the second remote supervisor terminal does not monitor operation of any of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during the first period of time. Yet further, the method includes the step of operating the first remote supervisor terminal such that the first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a first group of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a second period of time.