Abstract: A positioner for positioning an object with sub-micron resolution is disclosed. The positioner includes a first stage having a first stage housing and adapted to provide dual-axis motion for coarse positioning of the object, and a second stage secured substantially within the first stage housing and adapted to provide dual-axis motion for fine positioning of the object. The second stage comprises a second stage housing on which the object may be removably secured. The first stage is preferably a stepper motor or servo motor and the second stage is a piezoelectric actuator. The first stage housing preferably includes air bearings positioned on a surface thereof.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for verifying impedance in a differential via pair. A target differential via pair is identified in a design database. A desired modal characteristic impedance for the target differential via pair is obtained. A two-dimensional window is established around the differential via pair in which neighboring vias will be included in a modal characteristic impedance calculation for the target differential via pair. A modal characteristic impedance for the target differential via pair is calculated based at least in part on the neighboring vias in the two-dimensional window. The target differential via pair is flagged if the calculated modal characteristic impedance does not match the desired modal characteristic impedance.

Abstract: A tufting needle assembly for use with a tufting machine is disclosed that comprises a first gauge block or needle bar having a first series of tufting needles disposed thereon. The respective tufting needles are spaced from one another along a first longitudinal axis extending in the lengthwise direction of the gauge block. The tufting needle assembly further comprises a second series of spaced tufting needles extending along a second longitudinal axis spaced parallel to the first longitudinal axis.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for identification of a semiconductor device having a plurality of memory blocks, comprises accessing a memory profile for the semiconductor device based at least in part on an identification of defective memory blocks of the semiconductor device and determining a unique identifier for the semiconductor device based at least in part on the memory profile of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A deployable structure comprising a support and at least one structural element is provided. The structural element is mechanically attached to the support. The latching mechanism assembly is adapted to containing the structural element in a non-deployed state until it is remotely activated or de-latched.

Abstract: A damped blade is provided that includes a blade structural member defining at least one coolant channel and a liner formed of a shape memory alloy extending at least partially along the at least one coolant channel defined by the blade structural member. The shape memory alloy that forms the liner is maintained generally at its transition temperature by means of coolant circulated through the coolant channel. The shape memory alloy that forms the liner will resist the onset of vibrations within the blade, thereby effectively damping blade vibrations. A method of fabricating a damped blade is also provided.

Abstract: An imaging spectrometer includes an all-reflective objective module that receives an image input and produces an objective module output at an exit slit, and an all-reflective collimating-and-imaging module that receives the objective module output as an objective-end input and produces a collimating-end output, wherein the collimating-and-imaging module comprises a reflective triplet. A dispersive element receives the collimating-end output and produces a dispersive-end input into the collimating-and-imaging module that is reflected through the collimating-and-imaging module to produce a spectral-image-end output. An imaging detector receives the spectral-image-end output of the collimating-and-imaging module. The objective module may be a three-mirror anastigmat having an integral corrector mirror therein, or an all-reflective, relayed optical system comprising a set of five powered mirrors whose powers sum to substantially zero.

Abstract: An clear coated article formed from a transparent/translucent molding composition comprising a uniform miscible resin blend of a polycarbonate resin and a cycloaliphatic polyester resin, said cycloaliphatic polyester resin comprising the reaction product of an aliphatic C2-C20 diol or chemical equivalent and a C6-C20 aliphatic diacid or chemical equivalent, said cycloaliphatic polyester resin contains at least about 80% by weight of a cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acid, or chemical equivalent, and/or of a cycloaliphatic diol or chemical equivalent, wherein the cycloaliphatic polyester resin and the polycarbonate resin have a viscosity selected for enhancing the adhesion of the clear coat to the article.

Abstract: A toner for a two-component developer comprising the toner and carrier particles, the developer being used for an oilless fixing-type image forming apparatus comprising a developer carrier rotatable at a linear speed of 360-1,680 mm/sec, and a developer adjusting member extending in a lateral direction parallel to the rotational axis of the developer carrier and disposed adjacent to the developer carrier to define a gap therebetween of 0.3-1.0 mm, said image forming apparatus being operated so that the amount of the developer conveyed by the developer carrier and passing through the gap per 1 second is 5.0-25.0 g per 1 cm of the lateral width of the gap, the toner comprising a wax dispersed therein and the toner having a coefficient of dynamic friction in the range of 0.18-0.45.

Abstract: Usually, polycarbonate polymerization is limited by the rate at which inhibitory byproducts, such as phenol and salicylate, can be removed from the reaction. To facilitate the removal of volatile reaction byproducts from the reaction as polymerization occurs, the present invention provides a spray mist reactor. The formation of a spray mist polymerization reaction allows for the creation of an enormous surface area for exchange of volatile byproducts. The present invention is applicable to polymerization of polycarbonate and its copolymers starting with monomers or oligomers. The invention may be used to increase throughput and minimize initial investment for a give melt process, especially the fast reacting bis(methylsalicylate) carbonate process.

Abstract: An anti-vandal door lock apparatus in which a cylinder lock such as a mortise lock cylinder is employed for unlatching a cylindrical lock assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the mortise lock cylinder is mounted to the outside of a door trim such as a pull plate, with the cylindrical lock mounted to the inside of the trim, and the pull plate is mounted to the door, in such manner as to effect an anti-vandal door lock assembly. Preferred embodiments may include a hold-back feature, as well as a feature for facilitating secured removal of the mortise lock cylinder as for re-keying.

Abstract: Ultrafast square-law detectors amplify electric currents and electromagnetic waves with frequencies on the order of 100 GHz or more. The detectors use injection of spin-polarized electrons from a magnetic film or region into another magnetic film or region through a thin semiconductor control region. A signal current flowing through a conductive nanowire induces a magnetic field causing precession of electron spin injected inside the semiconductor layer and thereby changing the conductivity of the detector. With the magnetizations of the magnetic regions being parallel or antiparallel to each other, the resulting spin injection current includes a term proportional to the square of the signal current so that the detector behaves as a square-law detector. Such square-law detectors are magnetic-semiconductor heterostructures and can operate as a frequency doubler for millimeter electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: A method for processing a surface corrects a relationship between a processing condition and a removal quantity (polished removal quantity) or a removal depth (polished removal depth) in accordance with a worked surface to obtain desired removal quantity or removal depth in processing the worked surface irrespective of the shape of the worked surface, forms a reference surface in a simple shape to obtain the relationship between the processing condition and the removal quantity or the removal depth readily, and executes such correction of the relationship between the processing condition and the removal quantity or the removal depth and such correction of unit removal shapes readily for a short time.

Abstract: An optical display element of one embodiment of the invention is disclosed that comprises a binary optical display element and a multiple-bit storage element to store a number of bits of a color intensity value to be displayed by the binary optical display element during a display period. Each bit is loaded from the multiple-bit storage element into the binary optical display element one or more times during the display period to achieve the color intensity value.

Abstract: A technique is provided for prioritizing access to a bus for read completion transactions. The technique incorporates logic within an ASIC bridge, wherein split completion transactions are designated a priority level that facilitates the delivery of the requested data to a periphery device. Particularly, logic within the ASIC grants a read completion transaction a level one priority designation, which provides access to the bus to a requesting device prior to devices designated with a level two priority designation.

Abstract: Geometry of a tomosynthesis system including a detector and an x-ray source is determined using fiducial markers with non-determined positions. The geometry is determined by arbitrarily identifying at least two markers within an imaged volume, at different relative distances between the detector and the x-ray source, without having projections located on a straight line for all different source positions, and locating the projections of the markers within at least two images acquired of the imaged volume. The at least two images correspond to different positions of a focal spot of the x-ray source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel heterocyclic antagonists of Formula (I) and pharmaceutical compositions comprising said antagonists of the corticotropin releasing factor receptor (“CRF receptor”) useful for the treatment of depression, anxiety, affective disorders, feeding disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, headache, drug addiction, inflammatory disorders, drug or alcohol withdrawal symptoms and other conditions the treatment of which can be effected by the antagonism of the CRF-1 receptor.

Abstract: A remote-controlled circuit breaker system, comprising a single voltage input connector for receiving current from an external power supply, at least two pole assemblies each including a trip mechanism, and a trip crossbar. The input connector provides a single power source to both pole assemblies, and the trip crossbar couples the trip mechanisms together. One of the pole assemblies further includes a remote-controlled actuator that controls only one of the two pole assemblies.

Abstract: A method of providing an electronic business card (EBC) access and organization service on the Web. The cardholder database is accessible and searchable from any browser connected to the Internet or the EBC service may be installed behind a conventional firewall and thus accessible only to intranet users. The service thus provides easy access to cardholder contact information with privacy assured by use of integrated access restrictions. Access to and delivery of contact information by the service is not limited to a Web browser interface as commonly known today. The service provides multi-mode access and/or data delivery interfaces. The service also provides an export feature that formats search results into a pre-defined file structure readable by a conventional contact management programs. Custom export file formats may also be defined provide even wider connectivity and cross-platform utility.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for providing a portable disposable fuel-battery unit, a portable disposable fuel-battery unit for a fuel cell system having at least one fuel cell, a fuel cell stack, and a handheld device having a fuel cell system with a portable disposable fuel-battery unit. In one embodiment, the portable disposable fuel-battery unit provides a fuel compartment, for providing fuel for the at least one fuel cell and a disposable power battery, affixed to the fuel compartment, for providing start-up energy for the at least one fuel cell.