Abstract: Among the various embodiments described is a method of detecting defects in a cell of an integrated circuit that analyzes exercising conditions applied to an input of the cell during a capture phase of testing with failed test patterns that produce an indication of a fault and that analyzes the exercising conditions that are applied during a capture phase of testing with observable passing patterns that do not provide an indication of a fault. From the analysis, true failing excitation conditions and passing excitation conditions can be determined and used to identify whether a defect is in the cell or on an interconnect wire of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A graft copolymer containing one or more ethylenically-unsaturated, aliphatic or aromatic, nitrogen- and oxygen-containing graftable monomers grafted to a polyolefin is disclosed. Novel monomers, methods of making such monomers, and graft copolymers comprising such monomers are based on reacting an acylating agent with an amine to form a reaction product. The reaction product may include more than one chemical compound formed from the combination of the acylating agent and the amine. The monomer is the graftable, ethylenically unsaturated, aliphatic or aromatic, nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compound(s) of the reaction product. The monomer may, but need not, be recovered from the product mixture. The preferred monomer is the reaction product of maleic anhydride and 4-aminodiphenylamine. Also described is a method of making a dispersant viscosity index improver. The monomer of the present invention may be grafted to a polyolefin in solutions or melts.

Abstract: The width and location of a hysteresis window of an interferometric modulator may be altered by adjusting various physical characteristics of the interferometric modulator. Thus, depending on the particular application for which the interferometric modulators are manufactured, the width and location of the hysteresis window may be altered. For example, in some applications, reducing the power required to operate an array of interferometric modulators may be an important consideration. In other applications, the speed of the interferometric modulators may be of more importance, where the speed of an interferometric modulator, as used herein, refers to the speed of actuating and relaxing the moveable mirror. In other applications, the cost and ease of manufacturing may be of most importance. Systems and methods are introduced that allow selection of a width and location of a hysteresis window by adjusting various physical characteristics.

Abstract: A method of operating a power converter in response to an interruption in an input power being provided to the power converter, as well as a power converter capable of performing such method and including a rectifier and an inverter coupled at least indirectly with one another, are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the method includes (a) operating the rectifier so that energy stored in at least one first component coupled at least indirectly to at least one input terminal of the rectifier is transferred to an intermediate component coupled between the rectifier and the inverter, while the inverter is operated in a first disconnect mode, and (b) subsequently operating the inverter so that at least some of the energy transferred to the intermediate component is transferred to at least one output port of the power converter, while the rectifier is operated in a second disconnect mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of moving a structure using a bubble are disclosed.

Abstract: A user's preference structure in respect of alternative “objects” with which the user is presented is captured in a multi-attribute utility function. The user ranks these competing objects in order of the user's relative preference for such objects. A utility function that defines the user's preference structure is provided as output on the basis of this relative ranking. This technique can be used to assist a buyer in selecting between multi-attribute quotes or bids submitted by prospective suppliers to the buyer.

Abstract: A method (10) and system (200, 400, or 500) of call reverse can include initiating (12) a call by an originating party (204) to a terminating party (208), comparing (14) rate plans, and automatically reversing (26) the call if a rate plan for the terminating party is currently more economical than a rate plan for the originating party. The method can compare (22) rate plans at a server (206) having rate plan information for the parties. Alternatively, the method can send (16) rate plan information for the originating to the terminating party and compare rate plans at the terminating party. The method can pre-store (20) rate plan information for the originating party at a memory at the terminating party. The method can also use (24) Caller ID to detect a call from the originating party and compare pre-stored rate plan information for the originating party stored at the terminating party.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a secondary communication server 216 for assuming control of a communication formerly controlled by a primary communication server 212 in the event of a failure, comprising: (a) an input operable to (i) receive, from a first communication node 204a, first communication information, wherein the first communication information is associated with the communication and comprises a first node identifier 236a and/or a communication identifier 240a, the first node identifier 236a is associated with a second communication node 204b, the communication identifier is associated with the communication, and the second communication node 204b comprises second communication information associated with the communication and (ii) thereafter receive, from the second communication node 204b, the second communication information; and (b) a reconstruction agent 228 operable to identify the second communication information based on the first node identifier 236a and/or communication identifi

Abstract: In a wireless MIMO system with interference cancellation, compensate for decision errors in the cancelled symbols by adjustments to the scaling of the soft estimates with additive interference-proportional to estimates of the decision error probability.

Abstract: An email generation method and system. The method comprises receiving and storing by a computing system, a first data object. The computing system comprises XML files. Each XML file comprises email templates. The computing system receives language identification data identifying a first XML file of the XML files. The first XML file comprises a first set of email templates. The computing system selects the first XML file in response to receiving the first language identification data. The computing system receives template identification data identifying a first email template of the first set of email templates. The computing system selects the first email template in response to receiving the template identification data. The computing system retrieves the first data object stored in the computing system. The computing system automatically generates a first email by incorporating first portions of the first data object into associated sections of the first email template.

Abstract: A service appliance is installed between production servers running service applications and service users. The production servers and their service applications provide services to the service users. In the event that a production server is unable to provide its service to users, the service appliance can transparently intervene to maintain service availability. To maintain transparency to service users and service applications, service users are located on a first network and production servers are located on a second network. The service appliance assumes the addresses of the service users on the second network and the addresses of the production servers on the first network. Thus, the service appliance obtains all network traffic sent between the production server and service users. While the service application is operating correctly, the service appliance forwards network traffic between the two networks using various network layers.

Abstract: A service appliance is installed between a production server running a service applications and service users. Upon being connected with the production server, the service appliance contacts the production server and/or service application and automatically replicates the service data from the service application. As additional service data is added to or modified by the service application of the production server, the service appliance automatically updates its replica of the data. In the event that a production server is unable to provide its service to users, the service appliance can transparently intervene to maintain service availability using the replica of the data. When an operational production server is connected with the service appliance, the service appliance can automatically copy its service data to the service application of the operational production server. The operational production server can be the same as the original production server or a new production server.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing targeted video promotional material is disclosed. The method includes transmitting a promotional item for display on a video terminal, determining whether the promotional item was skipped, and updating a profile corresponding to the promotional item or a viewer of the promotional item based on whether or not the promotional item was skipped.

Abstract: A latching microregulator for regulating liquid flow on micro-scale levels comprises a substrate having an inlet port and an outlet port, a valve element defining a valve chamber for opening and closing the inlet port, and an actuator assembly for actuating the valve element. The valve chamber is configured to contain a volume of fluid, and the inlet port and the outlet port are in fluid communication with the valve chamber to provide a liquid flow path through the chamber. The actuator assembly comprises a cantilever beam for moving the valve element between an open position and a closed position, an actuator, such as a piezoelectric element, for moving the cantilever beam, and a latch, such as a permanent magnet, for securing the cantilever beam in the closed position. A flow regulation system comprises a plurality of fluid channels of varied flow conductance and a plurality of latching microregulators for selectively blocking or allowing flow through each of the fluid channels.

Abstract: Methscopolamine Tannate is prepared from methscopolamine salt and tannic acid salt in aqueous medium. Methscopolamine salt is Methscopolamine bromide or nitrate, preferably methscopolamine bromide, whereas tannic acid salt is an alkali metal salt of tannic acid, preferably potassium salt of tannic acid. The preparation leads to methscopolamine tannate composition having a purity of about 93 wt. %, based on the weight of the composition, with the balance comprising primarily water.

Abstract: An improved actuator for use in a microfluidic particle sorting system utilizes a staggered packing scheme for a plurality of actuators used to selectively deflect a particle in an associated sorting channel from a stream of channels. An actuator block may be provided for housing a two-dimensional array of actuators, each configured to align with an actuation port in an associated sorting chip containing a plurality of sorting channels. The actuator block may include a built-in stressing means to pre-stress each actuator housed by the block. An actuator comprising a piezo-electric stack may employ contact-based electrical connection rather than soldered wires to improve packing density. The actuator may be an external actuator. That is, the external actuator is external to the substrate in which the sorting channels are formed.

Abstract: Techniques for selecting a scoring mechanism from a plurality scoring mechanisms for processing queries are provided. The techniques comprise the steps of, for each scoring mechanism of multiple scoring mechanisms, determining, based on a query, multiple parameter values for the scoring mechanism, generating a score based on the multiple parameter values determined for the scoring mechanism, and selecting which scoring mechanism to use to process the query based on the score generated for each scoring system.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a fluid ejection device comprise, in one embodiment, forming filler structures on a substrate and laminating a dry film onto the substrate over the filler structures. The dry film defines a barrier layer around the filler structures and an orifice layer above the filler structures. The filler structures are removed to form voids within the barrier layer.

Abstract: An optical system for acquiring fast spectra from spatially channel arrays includes a light source for producing a light beam that passes through the microfluidic chip or the channel to be monitored, one or more lenses or optical fibers for capturing the light from the light source after interaction with the particles or chemicals in the microfluidic channels, and one or more detectors. The detectors, which may include light amplifying elements, detect each light signal and transducer the light signal into an electronic signal. The electronic signals, each representing the intensity of an optical signal, pass from each detector to an electronic data acquisition system for analysis. The light amplifying element or elements may comprise an array of phototubes, a multianode phototube, or a multichannel plate based image intensifier coupled to an array of photodiode detectors.

Abstract: A computer accessible medium may be encoded with a plurality of instructions which, when executed in a first node of a plurality of nodes in response to a fail over of a first service group of a plurality of service groups from a second node of the plurality of nodes, initiate lock recovery for locks on one or more filesystems included in the service group. Locks on one or more filesystems in a second service group of the plurality of service groups may be maintained during a time period that locks in the first service group are recovered. The lock recovery may be initiated using a first client list of a plurality of client lists, wherein the first client list is included in the first service group and identifies clients having at least one lock on a filesystem included in the first service group. During the fail over of a service group, lock services may not be interrupted for other service groups on any of the nodes.