Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical sensor including an enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall and a sidewall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall. The sensor further including a compliant membrane positioned within the enclosure, which is configured to vibrate in response to an acoustic wave and having a grating formed therein. A reflector is formed directly on an inner surface of one of the bottom wall or the top wall of the enclosure. A light emitter is positioned within the enclosure along a side of the compliant membrane opposite the reflector, the light emitter is configured to transmit a laser light toward the grating and the reflector. A light detector is positioned along the side of the compliant membrane opposite the reflector, the light detector configured to detect an interference pattern of the laser light, which is indicative of an acoustic vibration of the compliant membrane.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical sensor and method of manufacturing a MEMS optical sensor. The MEMS optical sensor may be a MEMS optical microphone including a compliant membrane configured to vibrate in response to an acoustic wave, the compliant membrane having a grating suspended therein. The optical sensor further including a back plate positioned above the compliant membrane, the back plate having a reflector suspended within a center portion of the back plate and aligned with the grating. The optical sensor further including a light emitter positioned below the compliant membrane and configured to transmit a laser light toward the grating and the reflector. The optical sensor also including a light detector configured to detect an interference pattern of the laser light after reflection from the reflector, wherein the interference pattern is indicative of an acoustic vibration of the compliant membrane. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) optical sensor, method of detecting sound using the MEMS optical sensor and method of manufacturing. The MEMS optical sensor including a substrate having a base portion and a vertically extending support portion. The sensor further including a top plate having a compliant membrane configured to vibrate in response to acoustic waves, the top plate connected to the support portion and having a reflective surface. The sensor also includes a back plate connected to the support portion, the back plate having a grating portion positioned below the reflective surface portion and a base plate connected to the support portion at a position below the back plate. A light emitter, a light detector and circuitry operable to tilt the top plate and the back plate with respect to the base plate so as to direct the reflected laser light toward the light detector are further provided.

Abstract: Active noise cancellation (ANC) circuitry is coupled to the input of an earpiece speaker in a portable audio device, to control the ambient acoustic noise outside of the device and that may be heard by a user of the device. A microphone is to pickup sound emitted from the earpiece speaker, as well as the ambient acoustic noise. Control circuitry deactivates the ANC in response to determining that an estimate of how much sound emitted from the earpiece speaker has been corrupted by noise indicates insufficient corruption by noise. In another embodiment, the ANC decision is in response to determining that an estimate of the ambient acoustic noise level is greater than an estimate of the anti-noise produced by the ANC. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.

Abstract: A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.

Abstract: System, method, and computer program product to modify a received query, the received query including a first predicate specifying a comparison operator and a second predicate specifying an IS NULL operator, by replacing the comparison operator of the first predicate with an extended comparison operator, and removing the IS NULL operator from the received query, the extended comparison operator configured to support searching of NULL values in a database management system (DBMS), wherein the extended comparison operator is configured to return rows having column data matching a value predefined to represent NULL values.

Abstract: System, method, and computer program product to modify a received query, the received query including a first predicate specifying a comparison operator and a second predicate specifying an IS NULL operator, by replacing the comparison operator of the first predicate with an extended comparison operator, and removing the IS NULL operator from the received query, the extended comparison operator configured to support searching of NULL values in a database management system (DBMS), wherein the extended comparison operator is configured to return rows having column data matching a value predefined to represent NULL values.

Abstract: A mobile multi-function device that includes a speaker, two or more microphones, and a beamformer processor is described. The beamformer processor uses the microphones to perform beamforming operations. One of the microphones shares a receiver acoustic opening with the speaker while the other microphone uses a separate acoustic opening. The receiver acoustic opening may be an earpiece opening that is held to the ear of a user while conducting a phone call with the device and provides acoustic input and output paths for the microphone and the speaker, respectively.

Abstract: Active noise cancellation (ANC) circuitry is coupled to the input of an earpiece speaker in a portable audio device, to control the ambient acoustic noise outside of the device and that may be heard by a user of the device. A microphone is to pickup sound emitted from the earpiece speaker, as well as the ambient acoustic noise. Control circuitry deactivates the ANC in response to determining that an estimate of how much sound emitted from the earpiece speaker has been corrupted by noise indicates insufficient corruption by noise. In another embodiment, the ANC decision is in response to determining that an estimate of the ambient acoustic noise level is greater than an estimate of the anti-noise produced by the ANC. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A system detects the repositioning of an earphone that is worn by a user, and changes an operation mode of a host coupled to the earphone. Within the earphone is a pressure transducer that detects a pressure change caused by the repositioning of the earphone. A signaling mechanism sends a repositioning detection signal to the host in response to a signal from the pressure transducer indicating the detection of the pressure change.

Abstract: A method of preparing polyimide foam produces a foam with excellent flexibility properties. The method of preparing polyimide foam is performed by foaming polyimide percursor which is prepared by employing linear aliphatic diamine and aromatic diamine containing 4 to 12 carbon atoms, at specific weight ration into the esterified reaction mixture prepared by reacting an aromatic carboxylic acid or its anhydride with excess amount of an alcohol compound. The polyimide foam produced by the method described retins superior characteristics of conventional polyimide foams and in addition have excellent flexibility so that it is used widely as adiabatic material, acoustical absorbent and cushion material in the aerospace industry, submarine and express trains etc.

Abstract: The specification describes a process for producing human proinsulin in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using gene manipulation technology. The process can provide for human proinsulin in high yields by a novel expression vector having strong regulatory elements of an insulin gene and a stable recombinant gene product. The expression vector of the present invention is characterized in that: 1) it has an 11 amino acid leader peptide containing six threonines in order to ensure an intracellular stability of proinsulin fusion protein, 2) it contains two copies of a DNA expression cassette each comprising a strong lambda P.sub.R promoter, a lac ribosome binding site, a proinsulin gene with a 17 amino acid leader peptide sequence containing a DNA sequence encoding (Thr).sub.6, and a strong fd phage transcription terminator (combination of phage fd terminator and translation stop codon), etc.

Abstract: Disclosed are Corynebacterium glutamicum CS-755 (KFCC 10672, FERM BP-2763), a L-lysine producing microorganism which is resistant to .alpha.-amino-.beta.-hydroxyvaleric acid, S-(.beta.-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine, methyl lysine, arginine analogues, other analogues, .beta.-(2 -thiazolyl)-DL-alanine, 5-hydroxyuridine, 6-azauracil, and 6-fluorotryptophan requires leucine and homoserine for growth, and a method for producing L-lysine comprising culturing the strain (KFCC 10672, FERM BP-2763) and recovering L-lysine from the resultant culture broth.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of interpenetrating polymer network membrane, composed of hydrophilic-hydrophobic two phase structure with varying degree of segregation of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic component by a polymerization reaction comprising controlling the relative rate of polymerization of the component polymers, or controlling the reaction temperature and the reaction pressure during the interpenetrating polymer network forming reaction and particularly by a process which comprises, subjecting a monomeric reaction mixture to a simultaneous polymerization and crosslinking reaction or a sequential polymerization and crosslinking reaction, to produce at least a polymer network of a urethane resin of general formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is ##STR2## wherein R.sub.3 stands for hydrogen or methyl group, n is integer of 1-3 and m is integer of 5-40,R.sub.2 is either ##STR3## wherein n is integer of 2-8, and styrene resin of general formula (II) ##STR4## wherein R.sub.4 is hydrogen or methyl group.