Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for enabling individuals to communicate with each other to discuss predetermined topics of interest (e.g., health and fitness, weather, politics, science, etc.). In one embodiment, a mobile communicator enables a user to communicate with other participants on various predefined topics within a predetermined range of the device (e.g., five to ten miles). The mobile communicator includes a full-duplex transceiver which is able to send and receive signals on one or more channels, each channel corresponding to a predefined generic topic of interest. The mobile communicator further includes a channel selector operatively coupled to the transceiver for selecting a particular one of the transceiver channels and a corresponding discussion topic. In an illustrative application, the user selects a channel and may then participate in a discussion whose topic or subject matter corresponds to the selected channel.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing multiple copy versions of a source volume. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a replication record management module, a pre-pairing record management module, and a copy record module. The replication record management module is configured to maintain a current replication record that is descriptive of a current copy version of the source volume. The pre-pairing record management module is configured to maintain a future pre-pairing record that is descriptive of a future copy version of the source volume. The copy record module is configured to create a copy record from a pre-copy record. The pre-copy record may be either the current replication record or the future pre-pairing record. The apparatus, system, and method beneficially maintain multiple records to describe different states for a particular copy version and dynamically handle changes to a source pool, a target pool, or both in a data copy environment.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for enabling individuals to communicate with each other to discuss predetermined topics of interest (e.g., health and fitness, weather, politics, science, etc.). In one embodiment, a mobile communicator enables a user to communicate with other participants on various predefined topics within a predetermined range of the device (e.g., five to ten miles). The mobile communicator includes a full-duplex transceiver which is able to send and receive signals on one or more channels, each channel corresponding to a predefined generic topic of interest. The mobile communicator further includes a channel selector operatively coupled to the transceiver for selecting a particular one of the transceiver channels and a corresponding discussion topic. In an illustrative application, the user selects a channel and may then participate in a discussion whose topic or subject matter corresponds to the selected channel.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for delivering fluid components for semiconductor processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and chemical etch processes. Any prescribed mixture of separate fluid reagents can be delivered with extreme accuracy and precision using the apparatus we describe here. The unique embodiment of a precision fluid pumping system utilizing internal pressure and temperature transducers, capacity volume and restrictive elements that comprise a continuous pulse-free system for use in CVD applications. This system has superior performance characteristics in the areas of: accuracy, precision, repeatability of the fluid mixture delivery and continuous repeatable delivery without intermittent pulsation. We describe a novel fluid pump whose design is integrated using a closed loop feedback system composed of temperature and pressure sensors. This allows the entire system to perform to in either an isobaric-isothermal mode or an isocratic-isothermal mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fluid mixture monitoring and controlling using an acoustic sensing technique by pulsing a fluid sample and a reference fluid in elongated chambers with sound waves generated at one end of the chambers and sensing the resonant frequencies in the chambers, or the time lapse for the sound waves to traverse the chambers, with transducers disposed proximate the other ends of the chambers and ratiometrically comparing the time-based measurements.