Abstract: An electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing, a number of contacts, a fastening mechanism, and a floating cover. The contacts are received in the insulative housing and have mating portions extending of the insulative housing. The fastening mechanism includes a stiffener with a planar frame surrounding the insulative housing. The floating cover is provided with a number of openings to receive the mating portions of the contacts. The floating cover has a number of spring elements so as to floatably mount to the insulative housing and the stiffener.

Abstract: An exemplary method of communicating includes determining a first user channel estimate from a communication comprising first and second user reference sequences. The first user reference sequence is reconstructed using the determined first user channel estimate. The communication is revised based upon the reconstructed first user reference sequence. Then determining a second user channel estimate is based on the revised communication.

Abstract: In a UMTS wireless communication system, the enhanced dedicated physical control channel (E-DPCCH) that is usually always transmitted together with the enhanced dedicated physical data channel (E-DPDCH) on the uplink from a UE to a NodeB is instead only transmitted when a predetermined “start criterion” is met and is turned off when a predetermined “stop criterion” is met until a “start criterion” is later met again. The UE starts transmitting E-DPCCH whenever the corresponding E-DPDCH transport format combination is different from the previous one in the same HARQ process or some other “start criterion” is met. Multiple mechanisms can be used to decide when the UE should switch off E-DPCCH transmission after the transport format combination of E-DPDCH has changed.

Abstract: A method for providing personal targeted advertising includes receiving, from a user, a submission of a search-ad comprising a personal targeted advertisement associated with at least one rare search term; storing the personal targeted advertisement; detecting a query for the at least one rare search term; and displaying the personal targeted advertisement in response to detecting the query for the at least one rare search term.

Abstract: Thin cathodes are presented, For example, a cathode includes a substrate; and a layer of a nanostructured pyrite active material deposited on the substrate, wherein the layer of the nanostructured pyrite has a thickness in the range from about 1 to about 1000 microns. The cathodes find particular utility in thermal batteries.

Abstract: An electrical connector (2) includes a housing (20), a cover (22) slidably covering the housing (20) and a protecting mechanism (24). The protecting mechanism includes a top plate (241), a bottom plate (242) defining a first hole (2441) thereon and a protecting plate (244) having an engaging portion (243) proximate to the inner surface of the first hole. The electrical connector further has an actuator (26) including a head (260) and a cam portion (2622) engaging with the engaging portion.

Abstract: An electrical connector (2) includes a housing (20), a cover (22) slidably covering the housing (20) and a protecting mechanism (24). The protecting mechanism includes a top plate (241), a bottom plate (242) defining a first hole (2441) thereon and a protecting plate (244) having an engaging portion (243) proximate to the inner surface of the first hole. The electrical connector further has an actuator (26) including a head (260) and a cam portion (2622) engaging with the engaging portion.

Abstract: A sector switch detection method incorporates two independent, concurrent switch detection processes within a sector switch detection block. A frame-based switch detection process operates over a given single period, while a sliding window-based detection system operates over a selected multiple of periods.

Abstract: In a method of canceling interference, a base station selects a known highest data rate user transmission from a received first signal containing a group of user transmissions. The known highest rate user transmission may be configured as one or more frames, each frame including a control preamble and a plurality of encoded sub-frames. The control preamble and encoded sub-frames may be decoded, and the decoded sub-frames may be used for removing interference caused by the known highest rate user transmission to all remaining transmissions of the group.

Abstract: Interconnects for integrated circuits, such as damascene structures are formed using a hard mask. The hard mask is formed from, for example, high-k dielectric material such as hafnium oxide or other materials having high etch selectivity to the interconnect dielectric material. This enables a thin mask to etch vias and trenches in the interconnect dielectric layer, avoiding the problems associated with the use of thick mask layers, such as contact hole striations and small depth of focus, which can result in shorts or opens.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for estimating uplink signal power.

Abstract: In the absence of a continuous channel from the mobile terminal that incorporates a CRC in each transmitted frame from which the base station can derive a power control signal for feedback to the mobile station for maintaining the mobile station's pilot Eb/N0 level at a desired target that corresponds to a particular frame error rate, the pilot signal received by the base station from the mobile terminal itself is arranged in a frame format. Each pilot frame is compared with an a prioi known transmitted pilot signal bit pattern to determine whether it has been received in error. In response to a comparison of a received pilot frame with the expected known bit pattern of the pilot frame, an error signal is derived, which in the described embodiment is either a step-up or step-down signal that is fed back to the mobile terminal to increase or decrease its transmitted pilot Eb/N0 level, respectively.

Abstract: A ball grid array (BGA) socket includes an insulative housing (11), a number of terminals (12) and a protecting device (114). The insulative housing includes a mating surface (111), a mounting surface (112) opposite to mating surface, a plurality of passageways (113) extending between the mating surface and the mounting surface and a plurality of electrical terminals (12) received in the passageways. Each of the terminals includes a body portion (121); a contacting portion (122) extending forwardly from the body portion and a soldering portion (123) extending downwardly from the body portion and extending beyond the mounting surface of the insulative housing. The protecting device is arranged on the mounting surface. In a perpendicular direction, a distance between a bottom surface of the protecting device and the mounting surface is longer or equal to another distance between soldering portion and the mounting surface.

Abstract: An electrical connector (1) is for electrically connecting an electronic package with a circuit substrate. The connector includes a base (10) with a locating slot (120) defined therein, a cover (13) slidably attached on the base, and an actuation device (14) assembled in the locating slot for actuating the cover to slide along the base. The actuation device includes a camshaft (140) and an operation lever (141). The camshaft includes a first supporting portions (1403) adjacent to the operation lever and a second supporting portion (1404). A gap exists between the first supporting portion and the locating slot. When the operation lever is accidentally over-rotated beyond a perpendicular position, the camshaft applies a force to the locating slot at the second supporting portion instead of the first supporting portion. This protects the locating slot from being destroyed.

Abstract: A ball grid array (BGA) socket includes an insulative housing (11), a number of terminals (12) and a protecting device (114). The insulative housing includes a mating surface (111), a mounting surface (112) opposite to mating surface, a plurality of passageways (113) extending between the mating surface and the mounting surface and a plurality of electrical terminals (12) received in the passageways. Each of the terminals includes a body portion (121); a contacting portion (122) extending forwardly from the body portion and a soldering portion (123) extending downwardly from the body portion and extending beyond the mounting surface of the insulative housing. The protecting device is arranged on the mounting surface. In a perpendicular direction, a distance between a bottom surface of the protecting device and the mounting surface is longer or equal to another distance between soldering portion and the mounting surface.

Abstract: A socket connector (1) for electrically interconnecting a CPU package and a PCB includes a base (10), a cover (13) slidably mounted on the base, an actuator mechanism (14) sandwiched between the cover and the base, and a plurality of terminals (15) received in the base. The base defines an actuator channel (120) having a protrusion block (121) in a middle thereof, and an array of terminal-passages (110) receiving the terminals therein. The actuator mechanism includes a shaft (140) having a protrusion (1402) corresponding to the protrusion block, and a handle lever (141) extending from the shaft. When the CPU package is mounted onto the connector with zero inserted force, the protrusion block is mated with the protrusion to keep the actuator mechanism at a vertical position. The protrusion block increases a strength of the base to protect the base from distortion or damage should it sustain unduly large force.

Abstract: Thin electrodes produced by thermal spray techniques are presented, wherein the thermal spray feedstock comprises an active material and a protective barrier coating. In a particularly advantageous feature, the active material feedstock is a metal sulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride which ordinarily decomposes at thermal spray temperatures or which transforms to a material unsuitable for use as an electrode at thermal spray temperatures. The electrodes find particular utility in thermal batteries.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly (1) includes a first connector (10) and a second connector (20) mated with the first connector. The first connector includes a first housing (100), and a plurality of first terminals (104) received in the first housing. The first housing includes a protruding portion (102) defining two recesses (1023). Each recess has two first interference blocks (1025). The second connector includes a second housing (200), and a plurality of second terminals (204) received in the second housing. The second housing includes a receiving space (202), for receiving the protruding portion of the first connector. The receiving space includes two projections (2023) corresponding to the recesses of the first connector. Each projection has two first interference blocks (2025) interferentially engaging with the corresponding first interference blocks of the protruding portion. As a result, retention force between the first connector and the second connector is reinforced.

Abstract: A system and method for processing tax calculation requests. The method comprises: submitting a tax calculation request to a tax engine in an industry standard format; identifying and resolving customer-specific extensions in the request; selecting one of a plurality of tax calculators to handle the request; translating the request from the industry standard format to a calculator-specific format for the selected tax calculator; and using the selected tax calculator to process the request in the calculator-specific format.

Abstract: Thin electrodes produced by thermal spray techniques are presented, wherein the thermal spray feedstock comprises an active material and a protective barrier coating. In a particularly advantageous feature, the active material feedstock is a metal sulfide, metal selenide, or metal telluride which ordinarily decomposes at thermal spray temperatures or which transforms to a material unsuitable for use as an electrode at thermal spray temperatures. The electrodes find particular utility in thermal batteries.