Abstract: A computer mouse accessory comprises a cover which is configured to fit over a computer mouse in such a way that the pressure-sensitive switches associated with the computer mouse are operable through an opening in the cover.

Abstract: The rig mat is laid on a substrate to provide a surface to bear and distribute weight over the substrate. The rig mat call be used individually or juxtaposed in an assembly of mats to provide the bearing surface. The rig mat has a top plate and a bottom plate disposed in parallel alignment. A spacer grate is sandwiched between and fixed to the plates. An edge binder is disposed around the perimeter edges of the plates to bind them together and to enclose the spacer grate within the space between the plates. The spacer grate is made up of a number of grating bars disposed in a parallel to each other. Cross-rods disposed in parallel to each other and perpendicular to the grating bars pass through and attach to the grating bars to fix the spacing between the grating bars.

Abstract: A flow-controlling device is provided for controlling the flow of a fluid. The device comprises a housing, a flow-control element disposed within the housing, at least one seat operably engaging the flow-control element, a biasing device operably engaging each seat for urging the seat into sealing engagement with the flow-control element, and an actuating device operably engaging the flow-control element. The seat operably engages the flow-control element and the biasing device operably engages the seat to urge the seat into a sealing engagement with the flow-control element. The flow-control element, the seat, and the biasing device are comprised of a refractory and/or toughened ceramic material that is fully annealed so that porosity in the material is substantially eliminated and such that the material is substantially homogenous. Components fabricated from such a ceramic are generally heat, corrosion, and wear resistant and are capable of substantial elongation without failure.

Abstract: The rig mat is laid on a substrate to provide a surface to bear and distribute weight over the substrate. The rig mat call be used individually or juxtaposed in an assembly of mats to provide the bearing surface. The rig mat has a top plate and a bottom plate disposed in parallel alignment. A spacer grate is sandwiched between and fixed to the plates. An edge binder is disposed around the perimeter edges of the plates to bind them together and to enclose the spacer grate within the space between the plates. The spacer grate is made up of a number of grating bars disposed in a parallel to each other. Cross-rods disposed in parallel to each other and perpendicular to the grating bars pass through and attach to the grating bars to fix the spacing between the grating bars.

Abstract: A method to simultaneously allow multiple users to edit in shared areas of a master design includes displaying the master design, allowing a first user to edit in a shared area of the design, while simultaneously allowing a second user to edit in a shared area of the design while preserving the integrity of the design

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for efficiently creating and maintaining a remembered set in a generational garbage collection scheme using a write buffer and a barrier bit associated with each object. A barrier bit associated with each object differentiates generations in a generational garbage collection scheme. When an object is first created, the barrier bit of the object is set to zero. The barrier bit is set when the object becomes old, for example, after surviving a first garbage collection. The barrier bit is used to determine whether to make an entry into a write buffer when a reference to another object is stored into an object. An entry is made in the write buffer only if the barrier bit of the object that is written into is set. At the end of each garbage collection, entries in the write buffer are added to the remembered set for the next garbage collection if the objects satisfy the criterion for membership, i.e., they are live and may contain pointers to objects in a younger generation.

Abstract: A fence straining element includes a post, attachment elements to attach a fence to the post, connection elements whereby in use the post is connected to a fence post. The connection is in a manner that allows the post to be rotated in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the post. Rotation elements are provided whereby the post may be rotated to tighten, or loosen the fence attached thereto. Lock elements are also provided whereby the post may be locked, in use, in at least the position with the fence under some tension.

Abstract: A TCP-connection-router performs encapsulated clustering by dividing each encapsulated cluster into several Virtual EC (VECs), dynamically distributing incoming connections within a VEC based on current server load metrics according to a configurable policy. In one embodiment, the connection router supports dynamic configuration of the cluster, and enables transparent recovery which provides uninterrupted service to the VEC clients.

Abstract: An object, of this invention is to improve the overall throughput of an Encapsulated Cluster.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the efficient management of remembered sets in a generational garbage collection scheme. The present invention detects when an old object has a pointer to a young object, and needs to be added to the remembered set. A write buffer and a temporary buffer are used to create and maintain the remembered set. Entries in the write and temporary buffers are used as part of the root set for creating the remembered set for the next garbage collection. A barrier bit associated with each object differentiates generations in the generational garbage collection scheme and is used to determine whether to make an entry into a write buffer when a reference to another object is stored into an object. Objects that have survived one or more collections, but not the minimum number, N, of collections to be considered an old object are referred to as “middle-aged” objects. During a minor garbage collection, the write buffer is scanned.

Abstract: A valve for controlling the flow of a fluid comprises a housing, a flow-control element disposed within the housing, at least one seat operably engaging the flow-control element, and a biasing device for urging the seat and the flow-control element relative toward each other. In some embodiments, the valve also includes an actuating device operably engaging the flow-control element. The flow-control element, the seat, and the biasing device are comprised of a refractory material, and at least the biasing device is formed of a toughened refractory or ceramic material that is fully annealed so that porosity in the material is substantially eliminated and such that the material is substantially homogenous. In some embodiments, the seat, the flow-control element, the biasing device, and/or other components may be advantageously fabricated together as a unitary structure. An associated fabrication method is also provided.

Abstract: A computer mouse accessory comprises a cover which is configured to fit over a computer mouse in such a way that the pressure-sensitive switches associated with the computer mouse are operable through an opening in the cover.

Abstract: A diffusion preventing barrier spike is disclosed. The spike prevents diffusion of dopants into another layer without forming a pn junction in the layer. The spikes are illustratively Al or an aluminum containing material such as AlAs and have a thickness on the order of 1 nm. The spikes of the present invention may be used to stop dopant diffusion out of a doped layer in a variety of III-V semiconductor structures, such a InP-based PIN devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for cleaving a crystalline wafer, such as indium phosphide (InP) or gallium arsenide (GaAs) wafers. A wafer can be scribed with a scribing tool using a straight edge that does not contact the wafer. The wafer is held firmly in place using a vacuum chuck. The wafer can rest in a pocket depressed into the surface of a wafer holder at a depth greater than the wafer thickness. The sliding straight edge can be placed with a perpendicular or parallel orientation to the flat alignment region of the wafer. The straight edge sits on legs that hold the sliding straight edge above the wafer and glide through slots or grooves in the wafer holder. The sliding straight edge can be stopped at the desired alignment point using a scale embedded into the wafer holder. The vacuum holding the wafer in place is under a constant leak by way of a groove from the vacuum chuck to outside air. Thus, the wafer does not stick to the vacuum chuck and can be easily removed without breakage.

Abstract: The invention is an optical device and method of fabrication which mitigates the problem of Zn migration in the cladding and waveguide regions. The contact region includes carbon, which acts as a p-type dopant in ternary semiconductor material. The contact layer is made of InGaAs or InGaAsP, and the invention is most advantageously used in an electroabsorption modulated laser or capped mesa buried heterostructure laser.

Abstract: A valve for controlling the flow of a fluid comprises a housing, a flow-control element disposed within the housing, at least one seat operably engaging the flow-control element, and a biasing device for urging the seat and the flow-control element relative toward each other. In some embodiments, the valve also includes an actuating device operably engaging the flow-control element. The flow-control element, the seat, and the biasing device are comprised of a refractory material, and at least the biasing device is formed of a toughened refractory or ceramic material that is fully annealed so that porosity in the material is substantially eliminated and such that the material is substantially homogenous. In some embodiments, the seat, the flow-control element, the biasing device, and/or other components may be advantageously fabricated together as a unitary structure. An associated fabrication method is also provided.

Abstract: A flow-controlling device is provided for controlling the flow of a fluid. The device comprises a housing, a flow-control element disposed within the housing, at least one seat operably engaging the flow-control element, a biasing device operably engaging each seat for urging the seat into sealing engagement with the flow-control element, and an actuating device operably engaging the flow-control element. The seat operably engages the flow-control element and the biasing device operably engages the seat to urge the seat into a sealing engagement with the flow-control element. The flow-control element, the seat, and the biasing device are comprised of a refractory and/or toughened ceramic material that is fully annealed so that porosity in the material is substantially eliminated and such that the material is substantially homogenous. Components fabricated from such a ceramic are generally heat, corrosion, and wear resistant and are capable of substantial elongation without failure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the efficient management of remembered sets in a generational garbage collection scheme. In order to manage the remembered set, the present invention provides a first mechanism for detecting when an old object has a pointer to a young object, and needs to be added to the remembered set, and a second mechanism for detecting when an object already in the remembered set no longer contains a pointer to a young object, so that the object can be removed from the remembered set. Entries in the remembered set have an associated counter, C, identifying the garbage collection cycle during which the object was placed in the remembered set. Objects inserted into the remembered set are assumed to point to the youngest possible object. Entries automatically expire from the remembered set when the garbage collection counter reaches C+N, since the objects pointed to by the object in the remembered set must now themselves be old objects.

Abstract: The Logic Analyzer Probe Board is a hardware design which allows convenient access to signals on a printed circuit board. On one side of the Probe Board assembly is a collection of probes that provide contact to the printed-circuit boards pads, pins, vias and test points on the non-component side of a UUT. The other side of the Probe Board assembly contains an organized collection of connectors, or headers, that connect to a logic analyzer's cable harness. When the Probe Board mates with the printed circuit board, the Probe Board taps into a printed circuit board's signal via the probe-to-pad connection and routes the detected signal via one of the header pins to the logic analyzer. The design of the printed circuit board includes test points that correspond to each signal under test. Once the layout of a printed circuit board is determined, a custom-designed Probe Board may be designed that is cable of accessing each test point.