Abstract: A method and system that enhances a user's performance while interacting with an interactive internet application such as a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is provided. The network latency experienced by users participating in the MMO game is minimized by dynamically determining an optimal transmission action for a message generated by the MMO game. In one embodiment, determining the optimal transmission action for a message includes dynamically determining the optimal number of redundant Forward Error Correction (FEC) packets to add to a message prior to transmitting a message to a receiving device. The optimal number of FEC packets is determined based on a wide range of varying network conditions.

Abstract: Dynamic role selection of players for different roles in multiplayer gaming sessions is provided. Users seeking to participate in different roles in the game may request participation in the role. Selection of players for roles is made dynamically by varying a selection component for different sessions of the game. The selection component may be a user's game score over different time periods, and can be rotated for different sessions of the game, so that various levels of players have an opportunity to fill game roles.

Abstract: An application programming interface (API) for administering the distribution of software updates on an update service node is presented. The API provides a plurality of interface calls through which an administrator can establish rules by which software updates available to the update service node are distributed.

Abstract: A method and system that enhances a user's performance while interacting with an interactive internet application such as a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is provided. The network latency experienced by users participating in the MMO game is minimized by dynamically determining an optimal transmission action for a message generated by the MMO game. In one embodiment, determining the optimal transmission action for a message includes dynamically determining the optimal number of redundant Forward Error Correction (FEC) packets to add to a message prior to transmitting a message to a receiving device. The optimal number of FEC packets is determined based on a wide range of varying network conditions.

Abstract: Dynamic role selection of players for different roles in multiplayer gaming sessions is provided. Users seeking to participate in different roles in the game may request participation in the role. Selection of players for roles is made dynamically by varying a selection component for different sessions of the game. The selection component may be a user's game score over different time periods, and can be rotated for different sessions of the game, so that various levels of players have an opportunity to fill game roles.

Abstract: A massively multiplayer game management service includes a scheduling module that establishes a message receiving period and a game data aggregation period. The massively multiplayer game management service further includes a message receiving module that, during the message receiving period that overlaps at least part of the game data aggregation period, receives a message from a player client. The message may include an identifier and an execution time that follows the game data aggregation period. The massively multiplayer game management service further includes a message sending module that sends game data, aggregated in a game space location corresponding to the identifier, to the player clients upon occurrence of the execution time.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a set of coordinated game service primitives that allows for custom, per-game, logic. A new game with new custom logic can be added without needing to change any public api or database schema or write any new server code. The same hardware may be shared across many games. And the system scales linearly. That is, if the number of servers is doubled, then so is the number of concurrent users that can be supported. Also disclosed are systems and methods for two-stage aggregation. Pre-aggregation may take place on a plurality of front-end server. Final aggregation may take place on one or more back-end servers. A name value store may be used to reliably store state.

Abstract: An application programming interface (API) for administering the distribution of software updates on an update service node is presented. The API provides a plurality of interface calls through which an administrator can establish rules by which software updates available to the update service node are distributed.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic circuit board comprises a core of high conductivity material such as metal and an overlying layer of electrically insulating ceramic having an outer surface. In accordance with the invention, a circuit board for receiving a high power component is provided with a thermal spreading layer on or near the outer surface and one or more thermal vias through the ceramic to thermally couple the spreading layer to the core. The vias and the spreading layer comprise electrically insulating thermally conductive materials. The resulting structure provides rapid heat dissipation for a high power component formed or mounted on or near the spreading layer.

Abstract: Embedded, coupled, shaped waveguide resonators having conductive walls sandwiched between two fired green tape stacks, said conductive walls having apertures therein whose size and location determine the degree of coupling. These waveguides are made by forming openings in a first green tape stack, defining walls and apertures therein, mounting a second green tape stack having a conductive layer thereon thereover and firing the assembly. E-plane probes are inserted in openings in the second green tape stack and connected to microstrip transmission lines on an external surface pf this green tape stack.

Abstract: Embedded, coupled, shaped waveguide resonators having conductive walls sandwiched between two fired green tape stacks, said conductive walls having apertures therein whose size and location determine the degree of coupling. These waveguides are made by forming openings in a first green tape stack, defining walls and apertures therein, mounting a second green tape stack having a conductive layer thereon thereover and firing the assembly. E-plane probes are inserted in openings in the second green tape stack and connected to microstrip transmission lines on an external surface pf this green tape stack.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic circuit board comprises a core of high conductivity material such as metal and an overlying layer of electrically insulating ceramic having an outer surface. In accordance with the invention, a circuit board for receiving a high power component is provided with a thermal spreading layer on or near the outer surface and one or more thermal vias through the ceramic to thermally couple the spreading layer to the core. The vias and the spreading layer comprise electrically insulating thermally conductive materials. The resulting structure provides rapid heat dissipation for a high power component formed or mounted on or near the spreading layer.

Abstract: A package for an electronic component includes a metal support substrate having a pattern of openings therethrough and a body of an insulating material, such as glass or ceramic, on and bonded to the surface of the support substrate. The body is formed from a plurality of layers of an insulating material, and conductive vias extending through the plurality of layers to the support substrate; said insulating body having an opening therein, an electronic component directly mounted in said opening to the patterned base plate. The base plate can be cut into one or more modules and directly soldered to a motherboard having additional devices mounted thereon.

Abstract: Integrated packages incorporating multilayer ceramic circuit boards mounted on a metal support substrate can be used for temperature control by the metal support substrate. Various electronic components, as well as additional temperature control devices, can be connected to the circuit boards and to the metal support substrate to control or regulate the temperature of operation of the components. The integrated package can be hermetically sealed with a lid.

Abstract: A method of controlling shrinkage in aligned green tape stacks during firing comprises providing a topmost layer of a ceramic material having a sintering temperature higher than that of the ceramic used to make the green tapes and firing above the sintering temperature of the green tape ceramic but below the sintering temperature of the topmost layer ceramic. The method of the invention provides improved shrinkage control for green tape stacks on a support substrate.

Abstract: An electron gun as for a cathode ray tube includes a plurality of electrodes biased at different potentials to electrostatically shape and focus the one or more electron beams produced thereby. A dynamic focus grid is driven by a substantial ac voltage signal at the horizontal line rate, which signal is undesirably coupled through parasitic capacitance to an intermediate grid located between the dynamic focus grid and the gun anode. A resistive biasing network includes a high value resistance to divide the anode potential to develop bias potential for the intermediate grid and a capacitance to ac couple the intermediate grid to ground potential. The resistance is formed in a single layer ceramic circuit and the capacitance is formed on the single layer ceramic circuit or on the tube neck. The ceramic circuit may be located in the tube neck on or with the electron gun.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cells made by coating a slurry of an electrolyte having a limited amount of organic material onto a carrier tape, depositing a one or two layer electrode material on the tape sufficient to support the electrolyte layer, removing the tape, screen printing a second electrode layer on the exposed surface of the electrolyte layer, and firing the layers at a temperature of 1100-1300° C. The resultant fired fuel cell can be mounted on an interconnector comprising a base plate, grooves formed in one face of the base plate, a porous conductive ceramic contact layer between the base plate and an overlying blocking layer of a porous conductive layer to provide electrical contact between the base plate and the blocking layer, or an interconnector having a fired green tape stack having conductive via contacts and air and gas flow channels formed therein. A sealing glass bonds the overlying layers to the base plate.

Abstract: A color cathode-ray tube (CRT) has an evacuated envelope with an electron gun therein for generating an electron beam. The envelope further includes a faceplate panel having a luminescent screen with phosphor elements on an interior surface thereof. A focus mask, having a plurality of spaced-apart first conductive strands, is located adjacent to an effective picture area of the screen. The spacing between the first conductive strands defines a plurality of apertures substantially parallel to the phosphor elements on the screen. Each of the first conductive strands has a substantially continuous slightly conductive insulating material layer formed on a screen facing side thereof. A plurality of second conductive wires are oriented substantially perpendicular to the plurality of first conductive strands and are bonded thereto by the slightly conductive insulating material layer.

Abstract: Solid oxide fuel cells made by coating a slurry of an electrolyte having a limited amount of organic material onto a carrier tape, depositing a one or two layer electrode material on the tape sufficient to support the electrolyte layer, removing the tape, screen printing a second electrode layer on the exposed surface of the electrolyte layer, and firing the layers at a temperature of 1100-1300° C. The resultant fired fuel cell can be mounted on an interconnector comprising a base plate, grooves formed in one face of the base plate, a porous conductive ceramic contact layer between the base plate and an overlying blocking layer of a porous conductive layer to provide electrical contact between the base plate and the blocking layer, or an interconnector having a fired green tape stack having conductive via contacts and air and gas flow channels formed therein. A sealing glass bonds the overlying layers to the base plate.

Abstract: A package for an electronic component includes a metal support substrate having a pattern of openings therethrough and a body of an insulating material, such as glass or ceramic, on and bonded to the surface of the support substrate. The body is formed from a plurality of layers of an insulating material, and conductive vias extending through the plurality of layers to the support substrate; said insulating body having an opening therein, an electronic component directly mounted in said opening to the patterned base plate. The base plate can be cut into one or more modules and directly soldered to a motherboard having additional devices mounted thereon.