Abstract: A system and method to ensure a low-latency read of log records from a Database Management System (“DBMS”) in asynchronous log-based database replication capture from a blocking log read Application Programming Interface (“API”). The system may include a replication server with a log read module to initialize a log read thread. The reading module of the log read thread may read a predefined number of DBMS log records. A log flush module of the log flush thread may be executed by the log read thread and waits for a read complete notification. The update module, in response to a log flush thread time out, may also generate a plurality of loggable transactions such that a number of log records in an internal API log satisfies a DMBS threshold and unblocks the DBMS API. Therefore, the latency time may be constant, low, and predictable ensuring an accurate replication capture.

Abstract: A conversion function for converting between the euro and other currencies is provided that converts a value in one type of currency to a value in another type of currency according to EU-specified conversion rules and rounding rules. The conversion function may utilize full-precision computation or may convert the value utilizing a user-supplied number of significant digits. A method and apparatus for formatting the results of a conversion in a user-modifiable euro style is also provided. A formatting toolbar button is supplied that when selected applies a euro style to a selected currency value or range of values. A conversion wizard for converting a group of values or functions between the euro and other currencies is also provided. The wizard permits user-selected formula handling options to be selected at the time of conversion. A toolbar for viewing the results of the conversion is also provided.

Abstract: To provide a user with better experience of cooperation between an electronic business card processing program and a communication program when exchanging electronic business cards. Electronic business cards are stored in a DB server, which is one of storages for a communication program, as well as an electronic business card local file. Thus, even if a PC is a company's PC, for example, the electronic business cards can be viewed by accessing the DB server from another PC or the like outside an office. Further, the electronic business card processing program operates with the communication program as back-end, however, the electronic business card processing program may not be installed on a PC in some cases. Even in such a case, the communication program alone can display received electronic business cards that are stored in the communication program local file on the screen of a display.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an LCOS device includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer overlying a surface region of a substrate. The interlayer dielectric layer is patterned to form a plurality of recessed regions. Each of the recessed regions corresponds to a pixel element for a LCOS device and is isolated by a portion of dielectric material defining a border for each of the recessed regions. An aluminum material or aluminum alloy material is deposited within each of the recessed regions. A photomask is formed overlying the aluminum material and patterned to expose the recessed regions while protecting the border regions. Exposed regions of the aluminum material is removed while the border regions with the photomask is protected. The method continues the removing until the aluminum material has been removed to a vicinity of an upper region of the border regions. The patterned photomask is stripped to expose protruding aluminum material.

Abstract: A method of area compaction for integrated circuit layout design comprises determining physical extent boundaries for each layer of at least first circuit and second circuit building blocks. Determining physical extent boundaries includes determining for each respective layer of the first circuit and second circuit building blocks (i) a used portion and (ii) a free portion. The used portion corresponds to a functional portion of the respective circuit building block and the free portion corresponds to a non-functional portion of the respective circuit building block. The method further includes establishing packing keys with respect to the determined physical extent boundaries of each layer of the first circuit and second circuit building blocks, respectively. The packing keys define an interlocking characteristic for packing compaction of the corresponding first circuit or second circuit building block with another circuit building block.

Abstract: A worldwide number format for use with a spreadsheet program module is disclosed. The worldwide number format includes a locale specifier comprising a number shape, a calendar type and a locale identification (LCID). The worldwide number format also includes a base number format and a value. The LCID is used to categorize different parts of the world. Primarily, the LCID categorizes different parts of the world by language such as English, German, French, Thai, Arabic, etc. The LCID is used to determine what language to display month names, month abbreviations, weekday names, weekday abbreviations, time designations such as AM/PM, etc. The calendar type supports both Gregorian and non-Gregorian calendars. Calendar type is a value to indicate which calendar should be used to calculate the date from the value. The number shape is a value that indicates what shape in which to represent the number.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention improve the quality of search results returned for a given set of search terms based on metadata associated with the user performing the search. A search query may specify metadata elements to consider in ranking the search results. The metadata used may include bookmarks set by the user (either locally or at a social bookmaking site), group bookmarks, etc. In such a case, search results may be reordered to improve the ranking of websites that are both in the search results and in the bookmarks.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine a fuel-air mixture having compression temperatures and pressures sufficiently low as not to support auto ignition, ignition is achieved by injecting igniting active radicals into the air-fuel mixture. In one embodiment the active radicals are provided by withdrawing a portion of the mixture, treating it to produce active radicals in the portion and returning the portion to the mixture. Treatment of the portion typically includes simultaneously injecting, mixing, and compression of a predetermined amount of pilot fuel within the portion.

Abstract: A network device comprises first and second transceivers configured to aid communication between a plurality of networked devices; first and second communication medium connections in communication with the first and second transceivers, and capable of receiving first and second communication media, respectively; and a sliding door, said sliding door retained between an upper sliding track and a lower sliding track such that said sliding door covers one of said first and second connection while exposing the other of said first and second connection.

Abstract: The invention provides a NOx adsorber aftertreatment system for internal combustion engines which utilizes a plasma fuel converter operatively coupled to at least one NOx adsorber to aid in the regeneration of the NOx adsorber. Fuel and engine exhaust is injected into a plasma fuel converter upstream of a NOx absorber producing reductant such as H2, and CO, which are inlet into the NOx absorber. Reductants such as H2 and CO acting along and together help to efficiently regenerate the NOx Adsorber which in turn releases exhausts products such as CO2 and N2. Using the reductants generated by the plasma fuel converter NOx adsorbers, catalytic soot filter, and the like can be regenerated at exhaust temperatures less than 250° C. The plasma fuel converter, NOx adsorber regenerating aftertreatment system of the present invention may be used with any suitable control system.

Abstract: An integrated circuit has metal bumps on the top surface that create a potentially destructive stress on the underlying layers when the metal bumps are formed. Ensuring a minimum metal concentration in the underlying metal interconnect layers has been implemented to reduce the destructive effect. The minimum metal concentration is highest in the corners, next along the border not in the corner, and next is the interior. The regions in an interconnect layer generally under the metal bump require more concentration than adjacent regions not under a bump. Lesser concentration is required for the metal interconnect layers that are further from the surface of the integrated circuit. The desired metal concentration is achieved by first trying a relatively simple solution. If that is not effective, different approaches are attempted until the minimum concentration is reached or until the last approach has been attempted.

Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing of mirror structures. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, e.g., silicon wafer. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer overlying the semiconductor substrate and forming an aluminum layer overlying the first dielectric layer, the aluminum layer having an upper surface with a predetermined roughness of greater than 20 Angstroms RMS. The method also includes processing regions overlying the upper surface of the aluminum layer using a touch polishing process to reduce a surface roughness of the upper surface of aluminum layer to less than 5 Angstroms to form a mirror surface on the aluminum layer. Preferably, a protective layer is formed overlying the mirror surface on the aluminum layer.

Abstract: The payloads of IP packets are checked to actually determine if a packet contains MPEG-2 video rather than using predefined streams or priority levels that are assumed to contain such information as is done in the prior art. More specifically, the “sync” bytes of the MPEG-2 stream are searched for within the IP packet payload, and when a pattern indicative of the sync bytes is found the sync bytes are identified and the packet is determined to contain MPEG-2 video. The sync byte was defined in MPEG-2 for over-the-air broadcasting in order that a television receiver be able to synchronize the MPEG-2 transport stream packets. Note that the MPEG-2 video, e.g., the MPEG-2 transport stream packets, may or may not be incorporated within real time protocol (RTP) packets before being incorporated into the IP packets.

Abstract: A conductive line varies in thickness to assist in overcoming RC delays and noise coupling. By varying line thickness, variation in conductor width is avoided if necessary to maintain a specified minimum pitch between conductors while maintaining predetermined desired RC parameters and noise characteristics of the conductive line. Conductor depth variation is achieved by etching a dielectric layer to different thicknesses. A subsequent conductive fill over the dielectric layer and in the differing thicknesses results in a conductive line that varies in thickness. Different conductive line thicknesses available at a particular metal level can additionally be used for semiconductor structures other than a signal or a power supply conductive line, such as a contact, a via or an electrode of a device. The thickness analysis required to determine how interconnect thickness is varied in order to meet a desired design criteria may be automated and provided as a CAD tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented in which a routing number for telecommunication environments are stored in both a wireless network and a landline network. By storing the routing number at both the wireless network and the landline network, a “tromboning” effect is reduced, thereby providing greater efficiency.

Abstract: An imaging member having a charge transport layer with multiple regions or layers is provided. The charge transport layer includes at least two charge transport layers coated from solutions of different components and concentrations, wherein the second (top) transport layer comprises a lower concentration of different charge transport compound than the first (bottom) charge transport layer. The charge transport compound included in the second (top) charge transport layer is a high mobility hole transport compound. The charge transport compound in each layer is dissolved or molecularly dispersed in an electrically inactive film forming polymer to form a solid solution. In such a construction, the resulting dual charge transport layer exhibits enhanced cracking suppression, improves wear resistance, provides excellent imaging member electrical performance, and delivers improved print quality.

Abstract: A semiconductor (10) has an active device, such as a transistor, with a directly underlying passive device, such as a capacitor (75, 77, 79), that are connected by a via or conductive region (52) and interconnect (68, 99). The via or conductive region (52) contacts a bottom surface of a diffusion or source region (22) of the transistor and contacts a first (75) of the capacitor electrodes. A laterally positioned vertical via (32, 54, 68) and interconnect (99) contacts a second (79) of the capacitor electrodes. A metal interconnect or conductive material (68) may be used as a power plane that saves circuit area by implementing the power plane underneath the transistor rather than adjacent the transistor.

Abstract: Isocyanate-functional polyurethane prepolymers and aqueous dispersions therefrom which are useful for the production of flat materials having excellent resistance to alcoholic solvents are described. The prepolymers are prepared by reacting: A) an isocyanate selected from the group consisting of i) an aliphatic and/or a cycloaliphatic isocyanate, ii) a mixture of an aromatic isocyanate and an aliphatic and/or a cycloaliphatic isocyanate, B) a di- or polyhydroxy compound having a number average molecular weight of from 700 to about 16,000, and C) optionally, a dihydroxy and/or polyhydroxyl compound having a number average molecular weight of less than 700, with the provisos that a) at least one of components A), B or C) has a functionality of more than 2 and b) if both component A) and component B) are difunctional, component C) cannot be a trihydroxy component of the formula: R—(OH)3 ?where R is a saturated straight chain or branched chain aliphatic group of from 2 to 8 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An imaging member having a charge transport layer is provided. The charge transport layer includes a plurality of charge transport layers coated from solutions of similar or different compositions or concentrations, wherein the upper or additional transport layer(s) comprise a lower concentration of charge transport compound than the first (bottom) charge transport layer. The charge transport compound included in the first (bottom) charge transport layer may either be the same or different from that included in the additional charge transport layers. The charge transport compound in one or more of the layers is dissolved or molecularly dispersed in an electrically inactive polymer material to form a solid solution. In such a construction, the resulting charge transport layer exhibits enhanced cracking suppression, improves wear resistance, provides excellent imaging member electrical performance, and delivers improved print quality.

Abstract: A method for forming conductive plugs within an insulation material is described. The inventive process results in a plug of a material such as tungsten which is more even with the insulation layer surface than conventional plug formation techniques. Conventional processes result in recessed plugs which are not easily or reliably coupled with subsequent layers of sputtered aluminum or other conductors. The inventive process uses a two-step chemical mechanical planarization technique. An insulation layer with contact holes is formed, and a metal layer is formed thereover. A polishing pad rotates against the wafer surface while a slurry selective to the metal removes the metal overlying the wafer surface, and also recesses the metal within the contact holes due to the chemical nature and fibrous element of the polishing pad. A second CMP step uses a slurry having an acid or base selective to the insulation material to remove the insulator from around the metal.