Abstract: A hybrid silicon-on-silicon substrate. A thin film (2101) of single-crystal silicon is bonded to a target wafer (46). A high-quality bond is formed between the thin film and the target wafer during a high-temperature annealing process. It is believed that the high-temperature annealing process forms covalent bonds between the layers at the interface (2305). The resulting hybrid wafer is suitable for use in integrated circuit manufacturing processes, similar to wafers with an epitaxial layer.

Abstract: An agent station at a telephony call center has a telephone and a computer platform with a sound card. The telephone has a speaker line connected to at least a microphone input at the sound card. In some instances the speaker line is connected to both the microphone and speaker ports of the sound card. Agent stations in the call center are interconnected on a LAN such that a supervisor at one station may monitor telephone conversations at another station having the connected telephone and sound card. In some instances a file-sharing application is used, allowing a supervisor to view a screen at the agent station as well as to monitor and participate in telephone conversations. The system provides a complete monitoring a service-observing capability in the call center.

Abstract: A digital display unit receiving a display signal with image encoded at high origin frequencies (e.g., dot clock). A display signal interface samples the display signal during source display time to generate pixel data elements representative of the images encoded in the display signal. The signal is sampled at a sampling frequency equal to origin frequency. The pixel data elements are stored in a buffer at the sampling frequency and retrieved at a slower frequency. Display signals are generated for each horizontal scan line of a digital display screen during a destination display time at this slower frequency. The destination display time is designed to be longer than the source display time, which enables the display signals to be generated from all pixel data elements. The destination display time is longer than the source display time because digital display units do not require the long non-display times present in the display signals.

Abstract: A system for tracking client contacts for a host organization utilizes a multimedia database and a user interface at a connected computer device. The database stores client communications as full content, and relates contacts by issue, and the user interface displays client contact communications as objects, such as icons, in issue related chronological strings. In a preferred embodiment the interface also provides an input facility for a host agent to select appropriate responses to client communications, to make commitments for response, to assign responsibility for commitments, and to notify personnel effected by entered commitments in various ways, such as reminders. Other notifications include fulfilled and unfulfilled commitments.

Abstract: A communication router receives incoming communications and assigns a priority to each, which are then placed in a routing queue in descending order of priority from the head of the queue, to be routed from the head of the queue to selected destinations. The invention is particularly applicable to routing telephone calls in a call center. Destinations, in the call center agent stations arc selected on a basis of agent availability, and an agent status may be available if the agent is involved in a call of lower priority than a call to be routed. In some embodiments displaced calls may be placed back in the routing queue in order of priority. The invention is applicable to routing a wide variety of communications, such a telephone calls, e-mails, video calls, and Internet Protocol calls.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for increasing the production of high titre stocks of recombinant AAV (rAAV) through regulation of expression of the AAV REP and CAP proteins. The methods and compositions of the invention are based on the observation that the low level expression of the AAV REP 78/68 protein increases the production of AAV viral capsid protein and efficiency of packaging resulting in production of higher titre recombinant viral stocks. The invention encompasses recombinant AAV vectors that direct the expression of AAV REP and CAP proteins and the use of such vectors for the production of novel stable cell lines capable of generating high titre rAAV vectors. The invention provides methods for regulating the expression of the AAV REP 78/68, REP 40/52 and CAP gene at the transcriptional and post-translational level.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of forming a stressed region in a selected manner at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A torch reamer includes a reamer assembly having a reamer bit and a motor which are movable toward and away from a work station. A clamping arm is pivotally mounted to a frame and is movable from an inoperative position to an operative position adjacent the work station. Movement of the clamp arm toward the work station causes a clamp member to clamp a torch nozzle and hold it in the work station while the reamer assembly rotates the reamer bit within the inside of the torch nozzle. Lifting of the torch nozzle causes the release of the clamp, the deactuation of the motor, and the retraction of the motor and reamer bit to an inoperative position.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call center having a plurality of agents for serving clients also processes e-mails addresses to the call center, but not to specific agents. An e-mail server receives and routes the e-mail, and includes a router and a database storing skill set information regarding agents. The router extracts information from the e-mails, matches key words in the extracted information with key words from the skill sets, and routes the e-mails to appropriate agents having the necessary skills to respond to the service requirements in the e-mails.

Abstract: An agent station for a call-in center has a telephone for an agent's use connected by a communication link with a computer workstation including a video display unit (VDU) adapted for monitoring origination information for calls received on the telephone. In a preferred embodiment the computer workstation is connected on a local area network (LAN) to a processor running and instance of a telephony server (T-Server) application having access to a database storing data pertaining to callers, and the computer workstation reports call-origination data to the T-Server, which uses the data to correlate data to be retrieved from the database and displayed on the VDU.

Abstract: Expression of mammalian target genes is achieved by employing chromosomal target DNA, either native primary cells or YACs in a yeast host, where the YACs include a fragment of a mammalian chromosome, the fragment comprising the target gene. Employing homologous recombination, an amplifiable gene is integrated into the mammalian fragment at a site to allow for amplification. In the same step, or one or more steps, as desired, the mammalian gene and/or the transcriptional system may be modified by in vivo mutagenesis. The resulting construct from homologous recombination may then be transformed into a mammalian expression host and integrated into the host genome, either randomly or by homologous recombination. The amplifiable gene may then be amplified by an appropriate agent providing for multiple copies of the target gene and the expression host grown to provide for high yields of the desired wild-type or modified protein.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. An energy source is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) system having a router for IPNT calls has a plurality of selectable routing protocols and a system monitoring facility adapted for periodically determining the condition and performance of the system, where the system may be any collection of connected computers on the same wide area network. Routing protocols are selected according to one or both of system condition and performance. In a system subject to degradation of performance under certain conditions, routing protocols may be selected that are relatively immune to causes of degradation in performance. As performance degrades, escalatory selection of more simple routing protocols may be provided.

Abstract: A donor substrate (10) for forming multiple thin films of material (12). In one embodiment, a first thin film of material is separated or cleaved from a donor substrate by introducing energetic particles (22) through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth. Energy is provided to a selected region of the substrate to cleave a thin film of material from the donor substrate. Particles are introduced again into the donor substrate underneath a fresh, or cleaved, surface of the donor substrate. A second thin film of material is then cleaved from the donor substrate.

Abstract: A telephone call distribution system for determining destination for an incoming telephone call in a telephony network including a service control point (SCP) operates with a plurality of workstations each comprising a telephone coupled to the telephony network and a proximate computer station having a video display unit (PC/VDU), the PC/VDU connected to the SCP via a wide area network (WAN), and a personal router associated with each PC/VDU. The SCP broadcasts data pertaining to the incoming telephone call and a request for a destination to individual ones of the PC/VDUs via the WAN, and the personal routers negotiate a destination based on individual routing rules and the data pertaining to the call. At least one of the individual routers responds to the SCP with a destination for the call. In some instances the workstations are associated with a call center, and the call center may be CTI-enhanced.

Abstract: The present invention provides polypeptides comprising an immunogenic portion of a M. vaccae soluble protein and DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides, together with methods for their use in the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infection. Methods for enhancing the immune response to an antigen including administration of M. vaccae culture filtrate or delipidated M. vaccae cells are also provided.

Abstract: A call queueing system for a call center establishes virtual calls for callers, and allows the callers to disconnect and await a later callback when the virtual call is routed to an agent. Callers are connected to an IVR and informed that they may disconnect and await the callback. An IVR may also be used when the callback is made, informing the caller of the nature of the new call, and that they are now being connected to an agent. In some instances virtual calls may be sequenced in the same queue with real calls. The virtual call system may be initiated in a call center by exceeding load threshold, at particular time frames, and the like. A key is associated with each virtual call in a manner that the origination number of the call for whom the virtual call is entered may be retrieved when the call is routed to an agent. The system is adapted to work with all intelligent routing systems.

Abstract: A telephone call-routing system includes an initial call-processing system having a first telephone line adapted for receiving calls from customers and a processor system, and a remote call-in center comprising a computerized telephony switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations. The processor system is adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and is connected by a telephony line to the initial call processing system. A telephony server is connected to the telephony switch by a first high-speed data link and has a digital network communication link to the processor system. The telephony server is adapted to monitor activity of the telephony switch and to report the activity to the processor system over the digital network link.