Abstract: System and method for authorizing third-party transactions for an account at a financial institution on behalf of the account holder. A financial institution can collect process, transmit and confirm authorizations to third parties for electronic payments and direct deposits on behalf of its account-holder customer. In at least some embodiments, a method of processing account-holder requests to authorize third-party transactions for an account includes the establishment of a pre-existing list of prospective third-party participants such as employers and billers. The financial institution receives account-holder requests to authorize third-party transactions. Specific requests from among the account-holder requests are matched to third-party participants and forwarded and can be confirmed. The system of the invention can include various engines and data repositories that work together to provide the means for implementing embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needle via conformal deposition in a two-piece mold includes the step of attaching a top mold member to a bottom mold member such that the top mold member and the bottom mold member define an enclosed, elongated needle trench with a deposition aperture. A conformal substance, such as polysilicon, is then passed through the deposition aperture such that the conformal substance is deposited within the enclosed, elongated needle trench to form a needle. The method is used to form needles with prongs, multiple channels, multiple ports, barbs, strength enhancement features, and circuitry.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a needle via conformal deposition in a two-piece mold includes the step of attaching a top mold member to a bottom mold member such that the top mold member and the bottom mold member define an enclosed, elongated needle trench with a deposition aperture. A conformal substance, such as polysilicon, is then passed through the deposition aperture such that the conformal substance is deposited within the enclosed, elongated needle trench to form a needle. The method is used to form needles with prongs, multiple channels, multiple ports, barbs, strength enhancement features, and circuitry.

Abstract: This invention relates to the area of microelectromechanical systems in which electronic circuits and mechanical devices are integrated on the same silicon chip. The method taught herein allows the fabrication of thin film structures in excess of 150 microns in height using thin film deposition processes. Wafers may be employed as reusable molds for efficient production of such structures.

Abstract: A thin film filter fabricated using surface micromachining. The width of the filter pores is determined by the thickness of a sacrificial thin-film layer. This dimension can be precisely controlled, and may be as small as about 50 angstroms. The pore length may also be determined by the thickness of thin film layers and can therefore be smaller than the limit of resolution obtainable with photolithography. The filters are suitable for use at high temperatures and with many harsh solvents.

Abstract: The present invention provides a capsule made of a biologically compatible material with sufficient mechanical strength to form a very thin membrane shell having at least a region with approximately uniformly sized and spaced holes or pores that are large enough to let a desired biologically active molecular product through, while blocking the passage of all larger immunological molecules. The present invention thus provides an immunological isolation of cell transplants contained therein. The present invention also provides a free standing thin film structure that may be used as a component of such a capsule and method for the fabrication of such component and capsules.

Abstract: This invention relates to the area of microelectromechanical systems in which electronic circuits and mechanical devices are integrated on the same silicon chip. The method taught herein allows the fabrication of thin film structures in excess of 150 microns in height using thin film deposition processes. Wafers may be employed as reusable molds for efficient production of such structures.

Abstract: A thin film filter fabricated using surface micromachining. The width of the filter pores is determined by the thickness of a sacrificial thin-film layer. This dimension can be precisely controlled, and may be as small as about 50 angstroms. The pore length may also be determined by the thickness of thin film layers and can therefore be smaller than the limit of resolution obtainable with photolithography. The filters are suitable for use at high temperatures and with many harsh solvents.

Abstract: This invention relates to the area of microelectromechanical systems in which electronic circuits and mechanical devices are integrated on the same silicon chip. The method taught herein allows the fabrication of thin film structures in excess of 150 microns in height using thin film deposition processes. Wafers may be employed as reusable molds for efficient production of such structures. Various material properties may be varied within the structures to produce electrical, mechanical or electromechanical devices.

Abstract: Method, with structure, of production of precision head/disk interfaces for near contact recording in a low viscosity liquid lubricant film. Triangular shaped bearing pads in an assembled hard drive are brought to bear upon a rotating lubricated disk to dislodge, smooth and polish any residing asperity. The triangular shape of the bearing pads sweeps away and directs to the outer edge of the disk any of the remaining fine carbon sputtering debris which is loosened as the bearing pads are drawn from the inner dimension to the outer dimension of the disk.

Abstract: The back edge of a disk drive slider is used to remove debris from disk media by slowly sweeping it from the inner diameter of the disk to the outer diameter of the disk while the disk is rotating backwards from normal. The sweeping operation is completed while the disks are still gaining rotational speed so that liftoff velocity is not achieved. Material accumulated on the back edge of the slider is either dumped at the outer diameter of the disk, or remains on the back edge of the slider as normal operation is commenced.

Abstract: The lubricant film for a near contact magnetic recording device is maintained by a closed loop servo control for a recirculating lubricant supply system. A reservoir closely overlies the disk data surface and includes a heater for controlling the temperature difference between the reservoir and the disk surface. Decreasing the heater current reduces the film thickness and increasing the heater current increases the film thickness. A wick system gathers lubricant from within the disk enclosure, which may have been spun off the disk or condensed from the lubricant laden atmosphere and returns the lubricant by capillary action to the reservoir. Further, the reservoir includes two portions which are independently controllable. The first overlies the data band of the disk and the second overlies the start/stop zone and the head when the latter is not operational and parked at the nonoperating location.

Abstract: A bearing seal assembly for an oscillating actuator, comprises an outer bearing raceway, an inner bearing raceway mounted concentric with the outer raceway, and an annular deformable liquid impermeable membrane having an axial length of not more than one tenth the radius thereof, an inner peripheral edge sealingly secured to the inner bearing raceway, and an outer peripheral edge sealingly secured to the outer raceway for enabling limited relative rotation between the inner raceway and the outer raceway with minimum axial distortion of said membrane. In one embodiment, the membrane is stretched to eliminate surface distortion under torsional stress. Another embodiment illustrates waves molded into the membrane for reducing torsional forces.

Abstract: An integrated head-suspension-wick system having lubrication, including a bearing area at one end that holds a magnetic transducer against the disk. The invention provides wicking grooves in the integrated head-suspension-wick arm. The grooves are shaped to cause capillary forces to pull the lubricant from the supply wick on the arm, along the suspension of the bearing area. This ensures that the disk area under the head will not go dry regardless of storage duration or conditions. When the disk is running, the wick continues to conduct lubricant to the disk surface.

Abstract: A lubricant reservoir system for a magnetic disk near contact data storage device, which rotates in unison with the disk assembly to replace lubricant depleted from the disk surface over the life of the device, includes reservoir chambers in disk spacers with lubricant metering provided by restricted passages or textured surfaces extending radially outward from the reservoir chamber while replacement air passages extend radially inward to replace dispensed lubricant. The metered lubricant is delivered to the disk surface at a location where the surface confronting the disk is made compliant with the disk surface and the adjoining surface is beveled to form an angle of more than 90 degrees with the disk surface thereby preventing migration of lubricant away from the disk. Nonwettable surfaces may be used in metering passages, air passages, and on some beveled surfaces to further control lubricant metering.

Abstract: The back edge of a disk drive slider is used to remove debris from disk media by slowly sweeping it from the inner diameter of the disk to the outer diameter of the disk while the disk is rotating backwards from normal. The sweeping operation is completed while the disks are still gaining rotational speed so that liftoff velocity is not achieved. Material accumulated on the back edge of the slider is either dumped at the outer diameter of the disk, or remains on the back edge of the slider as normal operation is commenced.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic recording disk that has a layer of lubricant bonded thereto is enclosed within a vapor phase lubricant system that operates to continuously apply lubricant vapors to the disk's bonded lubricant layer by operation of Langmuir kinetics. Lubricant vapors are selectively adsorbed on the disk, including regions of the disk where the bonded lubricant is either too thin or is entirely absent, thus minimizing failures that might be caused by such imperfections in the bonded lubricant layer. A reactive perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant containing chemically active functional groups is substantially bonded onto the recording surface of the disk, for example by the application of heat. The mobile residue of this bonded lubricant layer may be left on the disk, to thereafter function as a non-bonded, mobile, lubricant layer covering the surface of the bonded lubricant layer.

Abstract: The lubricant film for a near contact magnetic recording device is maintained by a closed loop servo control for a recirculating lubricant supply system. A reservoir closely overlies the disk data surface and includes a heater for controlling the temperature difference between the reservoir and the disk surface. Decreasing the heater current reduces the film thickness and increasing the heater current increases the film thickness. A wick system gathers lubricant from within the disk enclosure, which may have been spun off the disk or condensed from the lubricant laden atmosphere and returns the lubricant by capillary action to the reservoir. Further, the reservoir includes two portions which are independently controllable. The first overlies the data band of the disk and the second overlies the start/stop zone and the head when the latter is not operational and parked at the nonoperating location.

Abstract: A method of merging a head suspension assembly into a plurality of disks for disk drives using a low melting wax is shown. The wax in the method of the invention protects and guides the heads during assembly into a disk drive. A preferred embodiment of the invention guards the head from damage during packaging and transport. The invention also describes a head suspension assembly for information storage and retrieval systems featuring a slider with wax covering at least part of the slider.

Abstract: A rotating magnetic storage device is shown wherein the transducer and media are separated during operation by a thin film of low viscosity liquid lubricant that is recirculated from a reservoir within the head-media enclosure. Lubricant recirculation can be effected by capillary action using a wick, mechanical pumping and metering or distillation techniques. As compared to devices using air bearing separation, the transducer carrying slider has very small bearing surfaces which may be in the form of narrow rails or small depending foot elements. This enables fly heights of 2 microinches using a film of one micron thickness.