Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for presenting financial and credit information to a customer. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a credit worthiness report (CWR) for the customer, and providing the CWR to the customer. The method includes providing a list of selectable options to the customer, the options directed to at least one financial activity. A selected option is received from the customer, and a revised CWR is provided to the customer in response to the selected option. In this manner, the customer can examine how particular options or activities effect their credit worthiness.

Abstract: Techniques for initializing an arbitrary portion of memory with an arbitrary pattern includes using a memory controller for performing sequenced read and write operations. The memory controller receives address data, length data and pattern data on a data bus connected to a processor. The address data indicates a location in memory. The length data indicates an amount of memory to be initialized. The pattern data indicates a particular series of bits that is much shorter than the amount of memory indicated by the length data. The memory controller performs multiple write operations on memory beginning at a first location based on the address data and ending at a second location based on the length data. Each write operation writes the pattern data to a current location in memory, thereby initializing the arbitrary portion of memory with an arbitrary pattern based on the pattern data.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a series of genes are identified in Group B Streptococcus, the products of which may be located on the outer surface of the organism. The genes, or functional fragments thereof, may be useful in the preparation of therapeutics, e.g. vaccines for the immunization of a patient against microbial infection.

Abstract: Techniques for routing a payload of a first network protocol, which includes header information for a second network protocol, include communicating a packet. In a circuit block, a first type for the first network protocol and a second type for the second network protocol are determined. The circuit block stores a classification that indicates a unique combination of the first type and the second type. A general purpose processor routes the packet based on the classification. Processor clock cycles are saved that would be consumed in determining the types. Furthermore, based on the classification, the processor can store an offset value for aligning the header relative to a cache line. The circuit block can store the packet shifted by the offset value. The processor can then retrieve from memory a single cache line to receive the header, thereby saving excess loading and ejecting of cache.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for automatically identifying and removing malicious data packets, such as denial-of-service (DoS) packets, in an intermediate network node before the packets can be forwarded to a central processing unit (CPU) in the node. The CPU's processing bandwidth is therefore not consumed identifying and removing the malicious packets from the system memory. As such, processing of the malicious packets is essentially “off-loaded” from the CPU, thereby enabling the CPU to process non-malicious packets in a more efficient manner. Unlike prior implementations, the invention identifies malicious packets having complex encapsulations that can not be identified using traditional techniques, such as ternary content addressable memories (TCAM) or lookup tables.

Abstract: A technique efficiently searches a hash table. Conventionally, a predetermined set of “signature” information is hashed to generate a hash-table index which, in turn, is associated with a corresponding linked list accessible through the hash table. The indexed list is sequentially searched, beginning with the first list entry, until a “matching” list entry is located containing the signature information. For long list lengths, this conventional approach may search a substantially large number of list entries. In contrast, the inventive technique reduces, on average, the number of list entries that are searched to locate the matching list entry. To that end, list entries are partitioned into different groups within each linked list. Thus, by searching only a selected group (e.g., subset) of entries in the indexed list, the technique consumes fewer resources, such as processor bandwidth and processing time, than previous implementations.

Abstract: An injection device for use with a syringe (30) having a bore (32) extending from an end surface (34), a needle (36) communicating with the bore through the end surface and a dispensing piston (38) movable in said bore towards said end surface so as to expel the content of the syringe through the needle, the injection device including a housing (60) having an opening (64) at one end through which the needle may extend, a resilient member for biassing the syringe and needle inwardly of the housing, a drive element (66) movable towards said one end so as to move the needle of the syringe out of the opening against the bias of the resilient member and to move the dispensing piston of the syringe towards the end surface, a delatch mechanism (72) operable to release the syringe such that the needle moves inwardly of the housing, a drive coupling (40) for extending from said drive element to the dispensing piston of the syringe so as to transfer movement of said drive element to the dispensing piston, wherein the d

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for presenting financial and credit information to a customer. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a credit worthiness report (CWR) for the customer, and providing the CWR to the customer. The method includes providing a list of selectable options to the customer, the options directed to at least one financial activity. A selected option is received from the customer, and a revised CWR is provided to the customer in response to the selected option. In this manner, the customer can examine how particular options or activities effect their credit worthiness.

Abstract: A gun system has a two piece cannon assembly that is separated between a removable chamber instead of a traditional breech, and a projectile forcing cone. The chamber has a plug at one end that can accommodate any type of ignition system, and the other end is open and is attached to the barrel with a connection fitting. High pressure gases created by combustion of the propellant are sealed with a high-pressure gas compression seal at the interface between the chamber and the barrel. The connection fitting provides an attachment for a rear cannon bearing slide, which rides on rails attached to the main support structure, and also reacts any torque induced into the barrel from the actuation of the chamber/barrel locking collar. A turntable upon which are mounted two chamber elevating/support mechanisms and two projectile loader/rammer mechanisms is positioned around one of the main support structure legs.

Abstract: A pourer which may be used for concurrently pouring dark and white liqueurs from adjacent containers of a bottle. The pourer has a main pourer body with pourer body sections which is engagable, for example by snap fitting, with the respective container. Each pourer body section has a liquid passageway which extends from a liquid inlet to a pouring outlet. The liquid passageways include upstanding portions extending into the containers and separate upper bend portions leading to the outlets. The angle between the longitudinal axes of the outlets is approximately 120.degree. for concurrent pouring of the liquids to opposite sides of a glass. Separate air passageways extend from air inlet parts to air outlets. The air flow is controlled by an air pot over each outlet. The air pots are sized and positioned so that fluid does not enter the air passageways on pouring and only air is forced up the air passageways on finishing pouring.

Abstract: A heat pipe roller includes a rotatable outer tube having a primary internal chamber for containing a fluid, a heater operable to heat the fluid and hence the tube, and a sensor. The sensor has a movable member which communicates with the primary chamber and is mounted on the tube for rotation therewith, and a fixed member situated in the region of the axis of rotation of the tube and so mounted relative to the tube that rotation of the tube does not rotate the fixed member. The fixed member is adapted to be connected to equipment for measuring an electrical characteristic of the sensor. The arrangement is such that, in use, the movable member moves in response to a temperature change or temperature related physical change in the primary chamber, thereby causing a corresponding change in the electrical characteristic of the sensor.