Abstract: A method of producing a clad sheet article having superplastic properties, and the resulting clad sheet article. The method involves producing a cladding layer onto at least one rolling face of a core ingot made of a metal having superplastic properties, preferably by co-casting, to form a clad ingot and then rolling said clad ingot to produce a sheet article. The core ingot includes an element that diffuses from an interior of the ingot to a surface at superplastic forming temperatures thereby deteriorating surface properties of the ingot. The cladding layer is provided with an element (dopant) that reacts with the element of the core to reduce the ability of the element to diffuse through the cladding layer.

Abstract: An alloy of aluminum containing magnesium, silicon and optionally copper in amounts in percent by weight falling within one of the following ranges:(1) 0.4.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.0.8, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.5, 0.3.ltoreq.Cu.ltoreq.3.5;(2) 0.8.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.1.4, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.0.5, Cu.ltoreq.2.5; and(3) 0.4.ltoreq.Mg.ltoreq.1.0, 0.2.ltoreq.Si.ltoreq.1.4, Cu.ltoreq.2.0; said alloyhaving been formed into a sheet having properties suitable for automotive applications. The alloy may also contain at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of Fe in an amount of 0.4 percent by weight or less, Mn in an amount of 0.4 percent by weight or less, Zn in an amount of 0.3 percent by weight or less and a small amount of at least one other element, such as Cr, Ti, Zr and V.

Abstract: A secure information retrieval system comprising three levels of confidential access to a database, wherein the first level is stored and transmitted in an unencrypted form, the second level is stored in an encrypted form but transmitted in an unencrypted form, and the third level is stored and transmitted in an encrypted form.

Abstract: A method and system for industry and group-specific calling within a telecommunication system. The method of the present invention includes the steps of receiving, in a carrier network, a call initiated by dialing a group number from a caller terminal; accessing a database in the carrier network to determine an announcement corresponding to the group number; providing the announcement to the caller terminal to prompt a caller to select one of the group members associated with the dialed group number; interpreting a selection command received from the caller to determine a member number of a selected group member; establishing a connection between the network and a member terminal corresponding to the selected member number; and connecting the call from the caller terminal to the selected member terminal. The caller may terminate the connection between the network and the member terminal, and select a connection to other group members, without dialing any additional numbers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting input symbols of a fixed length, to output symbols of a greater fixed length. Input symbols are received one at a time and are clocked into the staging register. When a new input symbol is loaded into the staging register, the contents of the first stage are moved to a second stage of the staging register. The new input symbol is loaded into the cells of the first stage. Multiplexers select the contents of cells of the staging register to form the output symbol. A modulo-x counter counts the incoming input symbols. The output of the counter determines which cells the multiplexer selects. Initially, the first stage of the staging register is preloaded with a predetermined pad symbol, and the modulo-x counter is preset. The first output symbol consists of a number of bits from the pad symbol and those bits of the first input symbol needed to complete the first output symbol.

Abstract: A facility is provided which implements a "hold-for-pickup" function in the delivery of a data message, e.g., a facsimile. Particularly, the facility associates a data message that it receives from a sender with a respective confirmation number and sends the confirmation number to the sender. Thereafter, the facility transmits the message only to a receiver who enters the confirmation number when requested to do so. The facility also provides a number of other features, such as allowing the sender to specify the number of receivers that will receive the data message. Another feature associates a received data message with a plurality of confirmation numbers. In this way, a user may associate the confirmation numbers with respective receivers. The receivers may then obtain a copy of the sender's data message from the facility by entering their respective confirmation numbers when requested to do so.

Abstract: A unified and systematic approach is taken both to design of a virtual communications network within a carrier's telecommunications network, and to design the screening filters provided in the VCN data base which control the admission of calls to the network. For this purpose, telecommunications traffic information that is relevant for both the design of the VCN architecture as well as for development of the screening filters is aggregated and applied both to a network design tool that is used to generate the customer's virtual network configuration, as well as to a screening filter generator (SFG). The traffic information may include, for example, traffic data contained in network and customer premises equipment call detail records and billing data.

Abstract: The invention provides an aluminum alloy material consisting essentially of, by weight percent, 1% to 1.8% Cu, 0.8% to 1.4% Mg, 0.2% to 0.39% Si, 0.5% to 0.4% Fe, 0.05% to 0.40% Mn, with the balance aluminum with normal impurities. The alloy forms two precipitation phases during heat treatment and age hardening: a beta phase of Mg.sub.2 Si and an S' phase of Al.sub.2 CuMg. The alloy has improved formability without significant sacrifice of strength, and is particularly suited to be formed into automobile sheet metal parts such as hood lids, trunks lids, and fenders.

Abstract: A subscriber can dynamically provision, i.e., assign desired characteristics to any "target station", which is an active phone accessible to a telecommunications network. A call thereafter originated from the target station (including a pay phone or a mobile phone) then can use customized features (for example, speed calling, conferencing, account code dialing) and take advantage of special corporate billing arrangements (for example, SDN, WATS and MEGACOM). The identity of the target station with respect to the communications network (e.g., the Automatic Number Identification (ANI) of the station) is not changed. Initially, a service profile is created and stored for each subscriber, containing information describing desired features and billing options.