Abstract: An apparatus and method for flexibly mounting variously sized devices in a computer chassis. A front panel includes a first portion that is reserved for a plurality of contiguous openings supporting a plurality of vertically stacked 3-½ inch bays. At least one opening is protected by a corresponding knock-out plate. The front panel also includes a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion. The second portion is reserved for a plurality of module acceptors. At least one module acceptor is located adjacent to a corresponding opening and adapted to receive a corresponding module. Additionally, at least one module acceptor includes a first attaching mechanism capable of mating with a second attaching mechanism located on the corresponding module for attaching the corresponding module to the computer chassis. Further, at least one pair of adjacent opening and module acceptor in combination is adapted to receive a front connector panel bracket.

Abstract: An upper piggybacked unit of a tandem unit is provided with a hinge unit and at least one motion lock to prevent the upper unit from falling away from the lower unit when it is tandemly coupled to the lower unit and the lower unit is pivoted to a non-horizontal position. The motion lock may inhibit rotation and/or translation of the upper unit. The motion lock may also be self-actuating, such as a gravity dependent lock mechanism. A lock override mechanism may be provided to allow the lock to yield to excessive force without causing damage. The lock enable condition may be automatically reset after the override condition so that no special knowledge or action on the part of the user is required to return the hinge to normal operation.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes a method for preparing an aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The method includes grinding an iron (II) hydrated salt, an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide in a grinding or milling machine. The inorganic salt may be a salt matrix that prevents growth and aggregation of the synthesized nanoparticles. The aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles may optionally be hydrothermally treated to become an aqueous dispersion of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a method for preparing an mixture of ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles and ?-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, in which at least an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide are ground in a grinding or milling machine. Uses for the nanoparticles include: a magnetic resonance image contrast agent, a color print ink, an artificial tanning pigment, a photocatalyst for degradation of organic dye, a red pigment, an adsorbent for waste water treatment, a catalyst support, and a catalyst.

Abstract: A blade holder has cutting edges for cutting a frustoconical tip to sharpen a crayon and also for cutting a sleeve wrapping the crayon. Outlet apertures in the blade holder allow the swarf to escape during sharpening. A serrated knife is mounted to the blade holder for circumferentially scoring the sleeve, weakening the cut strip of sleeve or breaking it up to avoid clogging of the outlet apertures. The blade holder includes a coupling by which it may be connected without tools to a mating motor-driven coupling, while ensuring proper axial alignment. A female coupling has an aperture extending between first and second mouth portions in a transverse side and longitudinal end of the first coupling respectively, and joined by a slotted mouth portion. The mating male coupling has a neck terminating in a head at an axial end of the neck. The neck being sized to pass through the slotted mouth portion, and the head being sized to pass transversely through the first mouth portion.

Abstract: Aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes were grown on both sides of a metallic or metal-coated substrate by water vapor-assisted chemical vapor deposition. Aligned carbon nanotube films of thickness ranging from 1 ?m to over 100 ?m were obtained. By manipulating various operating factors—position of substrate in the reactor, amount of water vapor, amount of catalyst, reactor temperature, and growth time, the morphology and thickness of these carbon nanotube films could be adjusted.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel soy isoflavone product with high purities and strong biological activities and the method of producing the same from natural soybeans, soybean materials (i.e. tofu dregs, soy molasses) and other plant sources. The method includes three steps consisting of extraction with an organic solvent, hydrolysis using an acid and crystallization using an antisolvent. The procedure is very simple and thus can be easily adapted for large-scale manufacturing. Moreover, the procedure is able to produce a high yield of total isoflavones at a lower cost. HPLC analysis and E-Screen bioassay reveal that the obtained product not only contains a high content of isoflavone aglycones by weight of dry matter but also exhibits strong estrogenic activity toward human cells. Therefore, the product should be efficacious for relieving menopausal symptoms and other estrogen-deficient diseases and can be used in health care supplements or as additives for foods, beverages or cosmetics.

Abstract: A dynamic arbitration controller includes components for reading current state information as well as records of known arbitration states which may cause a deadlock condition, comparing the current state to the records of known arbitration states and resolving deadlock conditions during arbitration. The dynamic arbitration controller may include circuits for storing and retrieving information related to the arbitration. The dynamic arbitration controller may be implemented as a circuit design or as a computer program product stored on machine readable media.

Abstract: A computer housing, removable light pipe device, and method for assembling a computer are disclosed. The computer housing has a drive door assembly and a light pipe. The light pipe is removably coupleable with the drive door assembly.

Abstract: A method of writing to cache including initiating a write operation to a cache. In a first operational mode, the presence or absence of a write miss is detected and if a write miss is absent, writing data to the cache and if a write miss is present, retrieving the data from a further memory and writing the data to the cache based on least recently used logic. In a second operational mode, the cache is placed in a memory mode and the data is written to the cache based on an address regardless of whether a write miss is present or absent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a two-phase stepper motor driven toy comprising a toy body having at least one movable member; a transmission mechanism operatively coupled to said at least movable member; an electric drive means for driving said at least movable member which includes a motor control circuitry for generating electrical signals and a two-phase stepper motor operating in response to the generated electrical signals; and a battery power unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting an object after stamping is described. The method and apparatus comprises determining a temperature distribution of an object after stamping; obtaining one or more thermal images of the object after stamping; and comparing the determined temperature distribution with the obtained thermal images so as to identify defects existing in the object after stamping, in which the difference between the temperature distribution and the thermal images indicates the presence of defects in the object. The method and apparatus can therefore inspect and analysis problems of the object occurred during the stamping process.

Abstract: A method for producing a finished multimedia card (MMC) in a single molding operation in a second stage manufacturing operation. The first stage involves obtaining an already molded top plate and an already assembled printed circuit board (PCB). The second stage involves placing the molded top plate and assembled printed circuit board together in a mold assembly and then placing the mold assembly in an injection molding machine. The printed circuit board is thus only exposed to a single molding operation in order to produce a finished multimedia card such as a memory card. The single molding operation produces an improved quality multimedia card.

Abstract: A design and method of using a group write slave and a sequence alignment logic module including an identification stage, the identification stage having a first ID input, a second ID input, an ID AND gate, and an ID comparator, a select stage, the select stage having a first select input port, a group write comparator, an individual select comparator, an OR gate and a select AND gate, a Slave Module, wherein the Slave Module includes a group wait signal and a group rearbitrate signal and a sequence alignment logic module which includes a gated logic portion having logic circuitry constructed so as to create a sequence alignment logic module output signal by sequencing and combining the plurality of sequence alignment logic module input signals so as to represent the slowest of the sequence alignment logic module input signals.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for aligning a bonding tool. A force sensor having a plurality of force sensing sections is configured to measure a force generated by the bonding tool on the force sensor. Each sensing section is adapted to individually detect an amount of force from a part of the bonding tool acting on that sensing section, so that an alignment of the bonding tool may be determined.

Abstract: A method of writing to cache including initiating a write operation to a cache. In a first operational mode, the presence or absence of a write miss is detected and if a write miss is absent, writing data to the cache and if a write miss is present, retrieving the data from a further memory and writing the data to the cache based on least recently used logic. In a second operational mode, the cache is placed in a memory mode and the data is written to the cache based on an address regardless of whether a write miss is present or absent.

Abstract: A design and method of using a group write slave and a sequence alignment logic module including an identification stage, the identification stage having a first ID input, a second ID input, an ID AND gate, and an ID comparator, a select stage, the select stage having a first select input port, a group write comparator, an individual select comparator, an OR gate and a select AND gate, a Slave Module, wherein the Slave Module includes a group wait signal and a group rearbitrate signal and a sequence alignment logic module which includes a gated logic portion having logic circuitry constructed so as to create a sequence alignment logic module output signal by sequencing and combining the plurality of sequence alignment logic module input signals so as to represent the slowest of the sequence alignment logic module input signals.

Abstract: A design and method of using a group write slave and a sequence alignment logic module including an identification stage, the identification stage having a first ID input, a second ID input, an ID AND gate, and an ID comparator, a select stage, the select stage having a first select input port, a group write comparator, an individual select comparator, an OR gate and a select AND gate, a Slave Module, wherein the Slave Module includes a group wait signal and a group rearbitrate signal and a sequence alignment logic module which includes a gated logic portion having logic circuitry constructed so as to create a sequence alignment logic module output signal by sequencing and combining the plurality of sequence alignment logic module input signals so as to represent the slowest of the sequence alignment logic module input signals.

Abstract: A lateral semiconductor device has a semiconductor layer on an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer has a region of a first conduction type and a region of a second conduction type with a drift region therebetween. The drift region is provided by a region of the first conduction type and a region of the second conduction type. The first and second conduction type drift regions are so arranged that when a reverse voltage bias is applied across the first and second conduction type regions of the semiconductor layer, the second conduction type drift region has an excess of charge relative to the first conduction type drift region which varies substantially linearly from the end of the drift region towards the first conduction type region of the semiconductor layer to the end of the drift region towards the second conduction type region of the semiconductor layer.