Abstract: The substrates of the present invention comprise a polyimide base polymer derived at least in part from collinear monomers together with crankshaft monomers. The resulting polyimide material has been found to provide advantageous properties, particularly for electronics type applications.

Abstract: A web-based voice dialog interface for use in communicating dialog information between a user at a client machine and one or more servers coupled to the client machine via the Internet or other computer network. The interface in an illustrative embodiment includes a web page interpreter for receiving information relating to one or more web pages. The web page interpreter generates a rendering of at least a portion of the information for presentation to a user in an audibly-perceptible format. A grammar processing device utilizes interpreted web page information received from the web page interpreter to generate syntax information and semantic information.

Abstract: A platform for implementing interactive voice response (IVR) applications over the Internet or other type of network includes a speech synthesizer, a grammar generator and a speech recognizer. The speech synthesizer generates speech which characterizes the structure and content of a web page retrieved over the network. The speech is delivered to a user via a telephone or other type of audio interface device. The grammar generator utilizes textual information parsed from the retrieved web page to produce a grammar. The grammar is supplied to the speech recognizer and used to interpret voice commands and other speech input generated by the user. The platform may also include a voice processor which determines which of a number of predefined models best characterized a given retrieved page, such that the process of generating an appropriate verbal description of the page is considerably simplified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polyimide photo alignment films for liquid crystal display devices comprising an aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride component containing 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine component containing at least one diamine of the group of fofmulae AI to AIII as given in the text. Further display devices and methods of their fabrication employing a photo alignment process are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention describes methods for the production of oligonucleotides under conditions which exploit the desirable characteristics, such as the property of sustaining high degrees of substitution, of functionalized organic polymeric supports while avoiding the sluggish kinetics and low rates of conversion which normally plague syntheses involving such solid supports. By employing the methods and materials disclosed, functionalized support, substituted to a degree of about 250 &mgr;mol/g, can be utilized at greater than 98% conversion levels for each sequential nucleotide coupling cycle, to provide unprecedented amounts of isolated oligonucleotide per gram of solid support.

Abstract: A platform for implementing interactive voice response (IVR) applications over the Internet or other type of network includes a speech synthesizer, a grammar generator and a speech recognizer. The speech synthesizer generates speech which characterizes the structure and content of a web page retrieved over the network. The speech is delivered to a user via a telephone or other type of audio interface device. The grammar generator utilizes textual information parsed from the retrieved web page to produce a grammar. The grammar is supplied to the speech recognizer and used to interpret voice commands and other speech input generated by the user. The platform may also include a voice processor which determines which of a number of predefined models best characterized a given retrieved page, such that the process of generating an appropriate verbal description of the page is considerably simplified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polyimide photo alignment films for liquid crystal display devices comprising an aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride component containing 3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine component containing at least one diamine of the group of formulae AI to AIII as given in the text. Further display devices and methods of their fabrication employing a photo alignment process are disclosed.

Abstract: A polyimide alignment film based on pyromellitic dianhydride and a bis(4-aminophenoxy) aromatic compound, such as 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene or 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene, providing low tilt angles of from 1 to 2 degrees when used in liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: A power supply system, for example, for use with a portable personal computer, includes a smart battery pack and a charging system. The smart battery pack is provided with a dedicated microcontroller for controlling the charging level of the battery charger system. In particular, the status of the battery including the voltage and temperature of the battery is applied to the microcontroller along with a signal representative of the current load demand of the computer system. The micro controller, in turn, provides a control signal in the form of fixed frequency, variable duty cycle pulse width modulated (PWM) signal for controlling the charging level of the battery charger system. The duty cycle of the PWM signal is used to regulate the charging current supplied by the battery charger. In particular, the DC value of the PWM signal is used as a reference to control the charging current of the regulator to provide a variable output charging current with a relatively wide current range.

Abstract: A power supply system, for example, for use with a portable personal computer, includes a smart battery pack and a charging system. The smart battery pack is provided with a dedicated microcontroller for controlling the charging level of the battery charger system. In particular, the status of the battery including the voltage and temperature of the battery is applied to the microcontroller along with a signal representative of the current load demand of the computer system. The micro controller, in turn, provides a control signal in the form of fixed frequency, variable duty cycle pulse width modulated (PWM) signal for controlling the charging level of the battery charger system. The duty cycle of the PWM signal is used to regulate the charging current supplied by the battery charger. In particular, the DC value of the PWM signal is used as a reference to control the charging current of the regulator to provide a variable output charging current with a relatively wide current range.

Abstract: A polyimide alignment film based on 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride and ortho-substituted aromatic diamines, such as 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine, 2,4,6-trimethyl-m-phenylene diamine and 1,5-diaminonaphthalene, providing high voltage holding ratio and high tilt angle when used in active matrix liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: A polyimide alignment film based on pyromellitic dianhydride and a bis(4-aminophenoxy) aromatic compound, such as 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene or 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene, providing low tilt angles of from to 2 degrees when used in liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: A polyimide alignment film based on pyromellitic dianhydride and a 2,2'-bis(perfluoroalkoxy)benzidine, as major components, for use in liquid crystal display devices.