Abstract: A fishing hook has a shank, hairpin loop portion formed at an end of the shank, and a fastener at an opposite end of the shank. The hairpin loop portion extends downwardly from the end of the shank. The hairpin loop portion is flattened and has a width less than a diameter of the shank. The hairpin loop portion has an end extending away from the shank. The shank and the hairpin loop portion define a line-receiving slot therebetween. The fastener selected from the group consisting of a hook, a ring clip, a lobster clasp, another hairpin loop portion, and a weight.

Abstract: A fishing hook has a shank portion with a hook at one end, and a hairpin loop portion formed on an opposite end of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion extending downwardly from the opposite end of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion has a width or diameter that is less than a width or diameter of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion has an end extending at an angle away from the shank. The hairpin loop portion has a longitudinal axis coplanar with a longitudinal axis of the shank portion. The shank portion and the hairpin loop portion define a line-receiving slot.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, assemblies, and articles for extracting restrained liquid (e.g., surface tension-restrained liquid) from open wells in a chip, where the restrained liquid does not flow out of the wells due to gravity when the wells are held upside down. For example, the present invention provides extraction fixtures that may be attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip such that any restrained liquid that is forced out of the open wells is collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixtures. Also for example, the present invention provides assemblies composed of a extraction fixture attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip, and methods of subjecting such assemblies to a force such that at least a portion of the restrained liquid in the open wells is forced out and collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixture.

Abstract: A fishing hook has a shank portion with a hook at one end, and a hairpin loop portion formed on an opposite end of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion extending downwardly from the opposite end of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion has a width or diameter that is less than a width or diameter of the shank portion. The hairpin loop portion has an end extending at an angle away from the shank. The hairpin loop portion has a longitudinal axis coplanar with a longitudinal axis of the shank portion. The shank portion and the hairpin loop portion define a line-receiving slot.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, assemblies, and articles for extracting restrained liquid (e.g., surface tension-restrained liquid) from open wells in a chip, where the restrained liquid does not flow out of the wells due to gravity when the wells are held upside down. For example, the present invention provides extraction fixtures that may be attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip such that any restrained liquid that is forced out of the open wells is collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixtures. Also for example, the present invention provides assemblies composed of a extraction fixture attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip, and methods of subjecting such assemblies to a force such that at least a portion of the restrained liquid in the open wells is forced out and collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, assemblies, and articles for extracting restrained liquid (e.g., surface tension-restrained liquid) from open wells in a chip, where the restrained liquid does not flow out of the wells due to gravity when the wells are held upside down. For example, the present invention provides extraction fixtures that may be attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip such that any restrained liquid that is forced out of the open wells is collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixtures. Also for example, the present invention provides assemblies composed of a extraction fixture attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip, and methods of subjecting such assemblies to a force such that at least a portion of the restrained liquid in the open wells is forced out and collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixture.

Abstract: A content delivery network aggregator system is disclosed. A user requesting content from a content provider has his or her DNS request forwarded to a CDN selector. The CDN selector intelligently selects an optimal CDN from amongst a number of partner CDNs to provide the requested content. The CDN selector selects one of the plurality of content delivery networks for providing content to a user based upon an analysis of a plurality of performance variables for each of the plurality of content delivery networks.

Abstract: A content delivery network (CDN) aggregation system is disclosed. A user requesting content from a content provider has his or her DNS request forwarded to a CDN selector. The CDN selector intelligently selects an optimal CDN from amongst a number of partner CDNs to provide the requested content.

Abstract: A heat sink system to conduct heat away from a printed circuit board assembly is provided. The heat sink system includes a chassis, a chassis cover, at least one thermally conductive block underlaying a high-heat section of the printed circuit board assembly, a plurality of thermally conductive through-rods, and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod associated with a respective thermally conductive block. The at least one thermally conductive block is in thermal contact with a portion of the chassis. The plurality of thermally conductive through-rods and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod each have a first end and a second end. The through-rods are positioned in holes formed in the printed circuit board. The notch-rods are positioned in a notch formed in the printed circuit board assembly. The first ends thermally contact the thermally conductive block and the second ends thermally contact the chassis cover.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, assemblies, and articles for extracting restrained liquid (e.g., surface tension-restrained liquid) from open wells in a chip, where the restrained liquid does not flow out of the wells due to gravity when the wells are held upside down. For example, the present invention provides extraction fixtures that may be attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip such that any restrained liquid that is forced out of the open wells is collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixtures. Also for example, the present invention provides assemblies composed of a extraction fixture attached to, and/or held adjacent to, a chip, and methods of subjecting such assemblies to a force such that at least a portion of the restrained liquid in the open wells is forced out and collected by, or flows through, the extraction fixture.

Abstract: A content delivery network aggregator system is disclosed. A user requesting content from a content provider has his or her DNS request forwarded to a CDN selector. The CDN selector intelligently selects an optimal CDN from amongst a number of partner CDNs to provide the requested content. The CDN selector selects one of the plurality of content delivery networks for providing content to a user based upon an analysis of a plurality of performance variables for each of the plurality of content delivery networks.

Abstract: A content delivery network (CDN) aggregation system is disclosed. A user requesting content from a content provider has his or her DNS request forwarded to a CDN selector. The CDN selector intelligently selects an optimal CDN from amongst a number of partner CDNs to provide the requested content.

Abstract: Content delivery includes receiving a Domain Name Service (DNS) request, selecting from a plurality of Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) a CDN to provide content associated with the DNS request, processing the DNS request and generating a response, the response including a canonical name (CNAME) value that corresponds to the selected CDN, receiving an indication that the content is not presently available at the selected CDN, and returning an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a data source that is configured to provide the content to the selected CDN.

Abstract: A heat sink system to conduct heat away from a printed circuit board assembly is provided. The heat sink system includes a chassis, a chassis cover, at least one thermally conductive block underlaying a high-heat section of the printed circuit board assembly, a plurality of thermally conductive through-rods, and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod associated with a respective thermally conductive block. The at least one thermally conductive block is in thermal contact with a portion of the chassis. The plurality of thermally conductive through-rods and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod each have a first end and a second end. The through-rods are positioned in holes formed in the printed circuit board. The notch-rods are positioned in a notch formed in the printed circuit board assembly. The first ends thermally contact the thermally conductive block and the second ends thermally contact the chassis cover.

Abstract: Interruptions between a source in a first network and a destination in a second network are reduced by providing first primary and secondary nodes in the first network, and second primary and secondary nodes in the second network. First primary routes in the first network facilitate delivery of a first set of the data to the first primary node; and a second set of the data to the first secondary node. Inter-network routes between the first and second networks deliver the first and second sets of the data to the second primary node and the second secondary node. Second primary routes in the second network facilitate delivery of at least one of the first and second sets of data to the destination. A selector within the second network selects one of the sets of data. Route selectors select secondary routes in the event that a primary route is disabled.

Abstract: A method and system for designing a bi-connected ring-based network is provided, which designs from scratch or converts an existing network to a dual-homed ring-based network. The network covers the locations capable of being bi-connected with one or more cycles/rings. The traffic demand is then routed via the cycles, in such a way so as to minimize the amount of network traffic management equipment required.

Abstract: A switch core is set forth that comprises a plurality of duplex switches that are interconnected with a interconnection fabric to implement, for example, strictly non-blocking operation of the switch core for reciprocal traffic. In one embodiment, an N-way reciprocal switch is implemented. The N-way reciprocal switch comprises a plurality of duplex switches numbering N of at least a 1×(N?1) switch type (e.g., the duplex switches have at least N?1 ports available for connection to implement the interconnection fabric). The interconnection fabric interconnects the plurality of duplex switches so that each duplex switch is connected to every other duplex switch used in the interconnection fabric by a single connection. A similar an architecture using switches numbering N of at least a 1×N switch type are also set forth.

Abstract: An interconnect element incorporates a plurality of smaller, substantially identical, interconnect modules. Multiple identical elements can in turn be combined to form larger interconnect networks. Signal paths in the elements can be implemented with optical fibers or electrical conductors.

Abstract: A switch core is set forth that comprises a plurality of duplex switches that are interconnected with a interconnection fabric to implement, for example, strictly non-blocking operation of the switch core for reciprocal traffic. In one embodiment, an N-way reciprocal switch is implemented. The N-way reciprocal switch comprises a plurality of duplex switches numbering N of at least a 1×(N?1) switch type (e.g., the duplex switches have at least N?1 ports available for connection to implement the interconnection fabric). The interconnection fabric interconnects the plurality of duplex switches so that each duplex switch is connected to every other duplex switch used in the interconnection fabric by a single connection. A similar architecture using switches numbering N of at least a 1×N switch type are also set forth.

Abstract: A heat sink system to conduct heat away from a printed circuit board assembly is provided. The heat sink system includes a chassis, a chassis cover, at least one thermally conductive block underlaying a high-heat section of the printed circuit board assembly, a plurality of thermally conductive through-rods, and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod associated with a respective thermally conductive block. The at least one thermally conductive block is in thermal contact with a portion of the chassis. The plurality of thermally conductive through-rods and at least one thermally conductive notch-rod each have a first end and a second end. The through-rods are positioned in holes formed in the printed circuit board. The notch-rods are positioned in a notch formed in the printed circuit board assembly. The first ends thermally contact the thermally conductive block and the second ends thermally contact the chassis cover.