Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods employing branded virtual characters across multiple network platforms throughout various stages of complex transactions (eg, selling insurance). These characters initially engage prospective customers on a network platform, such as a social network, and persist over time across other network platforms (eg, university and company websites) to educate consumers until they are ready to purchase—from their “trusted advisor”—particular products and services offered by various providers. Even after completing transactions, these characters continue to provide various services, such as notifying a customer whose circumstances have changed of a relevant product or service, while remaining available to answer questions and provide information upon demand.

Abstract: A metrological instrument determines a surface profile or form of a surface (61) of a workpiece (60) by effecting relative movement between a probe (11, 12) and the surface (61) so that the probe follows and is displaced by changes in the surface topography. A measure of the displacement of the probe as it follows the surface is obtained by a displacement provider which may be an interferometric gauge (35). Instead of making a measurement along a single measurement path over the surface (61), respective measurements are made on sections (61d and 61e or 61g and 61h) of that measurement path to obtain corresponding measurement data sets and these measurement data sets are independently positioned or aligned to a reference data set. The reference data set may be obtained by a measurement made on another section (61c) of the measurement path (61), on another measurement path (61f) over another surface (62a and 62b) of the component or on another measurement path over a surface on which the component is located.

Abstract: A system and method for operating a photovoltaic element at or near a maximum power point. A maximum power point tracker changes a voltage or current set point of a photovoltaic element in sequential discrete steps, measuring an output power at each step after a predetermined settling time. A slope of a power-voltage curve is then estimated and the slope is corrected for irradiance changes. Finally, an operating voltage or current of the photovoltaic element is adjusted based on the slope of the power-voltage curve and other factors, causing the photovoltaic element to operate at or near its maximum power.

Abstract: A system for tracking the locations of a freight container using a self contained and portable container tracking device is described. The container tracking device includes a GPS receiver, an attachment mechanism to easily secure the tracking device to the interior of a container door, an intrusion detection system and an alarm. The user can access the position and status information through a web site Internet access to a centralized database, SMS interrogation or SMS message updates. The user can load map information, trip alarm conditions, update method, as well as authentication information on a flash drive and insert it in the tracking device. In the event an alarm condition is broken, an alarm is triggered and an alarm message is sent to the user. The tracking device is located inside the container whereas its antennas are located on the outside. This prevents damage, tampering and theft of the tracking device.

Abstract: This invention is a synchronization abstraction layer (SAL) providing a uniform interface to frameworks operating on sequenced flow data. It allows content developers to design and build interactive content that will operate interchangeably in different multimedia frameworks (e.g., Apple Computer, Inc.'s QuickTime™, Microsoft Corporation's NetShow™, RealNetworks, Inc.'s RealPlayer™, Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s Java™ Media Framework) and on different hardware platforms (e.g., desktop PC, Macintosh™, Television set-top boxes such as those from General Instrument Corporation and Scientific Atlanta Inc., Inc., Internet appliances such as AOL™-TV, and other appliances, e.g., a kitchen Internet radio). The uniform interface is independent of the particular framework and the platform on which the SAL is implemented, so that a single instance of content, whether created in Java™, JavaScript, VBscript, HTML, XML, or some other language, can run appropriately on different hardware, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for the generation of a video stream from a source content item, such as a web page. One embodiment of the method comprises receiving a content item for conversion to a video stream, loading a extraction template, the extraction template comprising one or more transformation functions for the conversion of the content item to a video stream, and applying the transformation functions from the extraction template to the content item for conversion to a video stream. The video stream may be stored on an output data store.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for visualizing information, e.g., information regarding a sporting event. The method may comprise identifying an event type and generating a plurality of buttons, the plurality of buttons arranged in a button hierarchy. A first level of the button hierarchy comprising one or more first level buttons is displayed with a lens further displayed on a given one of the one or more first level buttons, the lens operative to present first level data for the given first level button.

Abstract: An optoelectronic component has a lens that is formed in the surface of an encapsulant surrounding a semiconductor diode element. With respect to emitters, the lens reduces internal reflection and reduces dispersion to increase overall efficiency. With respect to detectors, the lens focuses photons on the active area of the detector, increasing detector sensitivity, which allows a detector having a reduced size and reduced cost for a given application. The lens portion of the encapsulant is generally non-protruding from the surrounding portions of the encapsulant reducing contact surface pressure caused by the optoelectronic component. This non-protruding lens is particularly useful in pulse oximetry sensor applications. The lens is advantageously formed with a contoured-tip ejector pin incorporated into the encapsulant transfer mold, and the lens shape facilitates mold release.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sputter coating an insulated wire with a silicon and metal alloy, to provide the wire with sufficient surface conductivity to protect against build-up of electrostatic charge. A sputtering target of silicon has a metal plate positioned close enough to the sputtering site on the target to permit metal atoms to be dislodged by sputtered silicon, and deposited with the silicon to form an alloy. In the disclosed form of the invention, the wire is insulated with a polyimide material and the metal alloyed with silicon in the sputtered coating is stainless steel.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a subscriber line interface circuit includes circuitry to generate metering pulses for insertion onto a subscriber line. The circuitry includes a cascaded digital-to-analog converter (DAC) structure including a first DAC to convert a digital sine wave into an analog representation, a second DAC to multiply the analog representation with a ramp value to obtain an unscaled output, and a third DAC to multiply the unscaled output with a gain value to generate a metering pulse.

Abstract: A curable organosilicate composition that is employed to form one or more layers in the fabrication of electronic devices comprising: (a) an alkoxy or acyloxy silane having at least one group containing ethylenic unsaturation which group is bonded to the silicon atom (b) an alkoxy oracyloxy silane having at least one group containing an aromatic ring which group is bonded to the silicon atom, (c) a latent acid catalyst, and (d) optionally an alkoxy or acyloxy silane having at least one C1-C6 alkyl group bonded to the silicon atom.

Abstract: The systems and methods of the present invention provide for a number of improvements to the TV consumption process, including personalization, community viewing, shared presence and context, messaging, access to ratings and recommendations (including community reviews), alerts, etc. One method that the present invention provides allows for the indication of a given user's context to be provided to other users, such as users in the given user's social network. The method comprises generating an indication of a change in context for a given user, the context comprising information regarding an action of the given user. The indication of the change in context for the given user is propagated to one or more users in the social network for the given user. The indication of the change in context of the given user is presented to users in the given user's social network in conjunction with TV content.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a subscriber line interface circuit includes circuitry to generate metering pulses for insertion onto a subscriber line. The circuitry includes an audio path and a pulse metering path, where the pulse metering path includes a metering generator to generate a digital sine wave from a plurality of stored values, a first interpolator to interpolate the digital sine wave, a filter to filter the interpolated digital sine wave, and a second interpolator to interpolate the filtered interpolated digital sine wave.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a subscriber line interface circuit includes circuitry to generate metering pulses for insertion onto a subscriber line. The circuitry includes a cascaded digital-to-analog converter (DAC) structure including a first DAC to convert a digital sine wave into an analog representation, a second DAC to multiply the analog representation with a ramp value to obtain an unscaled output, and a third DAC to multiply the unscaled output with a gain value to generate a metering pulse.

Abstract: An optoelectronic component has a lens that is formed in the surface of an encapsulant surrounding a semiconductor diode element. With respect to emitters, the lens reduces internal reflection and reduces dispersion to increase overall efficiency. With respect to detectors, the lens focuses photons on the active area of the detector, increasing detector sensitivity, which allows a detector having a reduced size and reduced cost for a given application. The lens portion of the encapsulant is generally non-protruding from the surrounding portions of the encapsulant reducing contact surface pressure caused by the optoelectronic component. This non-protruding lens is particularly useful in pulse oximetry sensor applications. The lens is advantageously formed with a contoured-tip ejector pin incorporated into the encapsulant transfer mold, and the lens shape facilitates mold release.

Abstract: The present invention provides electronic methods and apparatus for interactively authoring, sharing and analyzing digital video content. Methods for authoring include displaying visual data, defining each traversal as a time-based sequence of frames and annotating and storing a record of the traversal and its associated audio records. Defining the traversal includes interactively panning the visual data by positioning an overlay window relative to the visual data and zooming in or out by resizing the overlay window. In alternative embodiments, the visual data may be displayed in a rectangular layout or a cylindrical layout. The methods are practiced using an integrated graphical interface, including an overview region displaying the visual data, a detail region displaying current data within the overlay window, and a worksheet region displaying a list of previously stored annotated traversal records.

Abstract: A printing system that includes a source which emits UV radiation to polymerize a fluid that is deposited onto a substrate by one or more print heads. The source emits low energy UV radiation sufficient to set the fluid to a quasi-fluid, non-hardened state.

Abstract: The present invention provides functionality for retrieving ancillary content associated with the content delivered to a given user's client device. According to one embodiment, the method of the present invention comprises retrieving the context of a given user and identifying a plurality of characteristics associated with the user's context. The one or more characteristics associated with the user's context are displayed to the user and the user may select from the displayed characteristics. One or more items of content are retrieved based upon the user's selection and presented to the user on the user's client device.

Abstract: A driver is operated to drive signals from an integrated circuit. Operating the driver generates interference at substantially a first frequency that may interfere with circuitry sharing a power supply with the driver. A supply node is repeatedly coupled to and decoupled from the driver at substantially a second frequency higher than the first frequency to help supply power to the driver and to help prevent interference from propagating to circuitry sharing the power supply.

Abstract: A hybrid Raman-EDFA provides gain equalization over the C-band and L-band. The hybrid Raman-EDFA includes a Raman section producing a Raman gain and an EDFA section producing an EDFA gain complementing the Raman gain. The EDFA section preferably includes a highly inverted, single-stage EDFA to produce the complementing EDFA gain shape. One embodiment of the EDFA section includes a high return loss termination located after the erbium fiber to receive unabsorbed pump power. Multiple hybrid Raman-EDFAs can be connected in an amplifier chain in a transmission system. The transmission system preferably provides a dispersion map including regular composite fiber spans followed by at least one compensating span of negative dispersion fibers. The Raman sections of the hybrid Raman-EDFAs are preferably coupled to negative dispersion fiber in the transmission system.