Abstract: A system is provided for managing incoming communications placed in response to advertising, online content, and/or special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming communications can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information pertaining to previous customer communications in the form of online communications, telephone calls, and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced customer information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced customer information. The user can view and update the customer information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the communication.

Abstract: A method is provided of making and using a walk behind rotary trowel that is “dynamically balanced” so as to minimize the forces/torque that the operator must endure to control and guide the trowel. Characteristics that are accounted for by this method include, but are not limited to, friction, engine torque, machine center of gravity, and guide handle position. As a result, dynamic balancing and consequent force/torque reduction were found to result when the machine's center of gravity was shifted substantially relative to a typical machine's center of gravity. Dynamic balancing can be achieved most practically by reversing the orientation of the engine relative to the guide handle assembly when compared to traditional walk behind rotary trowels and shifting the engine as far as practical to the right. This shifting has been found to reduce the operational forces and torque the operator must endure by at least 50% when compared to traditional machines.

Abstract: Monotomic boron ions for ion implantation are supplied from decaborane vapour. The vapour is fed to a plasma chamber and a plasma produced in the chamber with sufficient energy density to disassociate the decaborane molecules to produce monatomic boron ions in the plasma.

Abstract: Monotomic dopant ions for ion implantation are supplied from vapour of a species containing plural atoms of the desired dopant. The vapour is fed to a plasma chamber and a plasma produced in the chamber with sufficient energy density to disassociate the vapour species to produce monatomic dopant ions in the plasma for implantation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ion sources comprising a cathode and a counter-cathode that are suitable for ion implanters. The present invention provides an ion source comprising a vacuum chamber; an arc chamber operable to generate and contain a plasma; a cathode operable to emit electrons into the arc chamber along an electron path; a counter-cathode disposed in the electron path; respective separate electrical connections from each of the cathode and the counter-cathode including respective vacuum feedthroughs to outside the vacuum chamber; and a voltage potential adjuster located outside the vacuum chamber that is connected at least to the counter-cathode via the vacuum feed-through and is operable to alter the potential of the counter-cathode relative to the cathode.

Abstract: A walk behind rotary trowel is configured to be “dynamically balanced” so as to minimize the forces/torque that the operator must endure to control and guide the trowel. Characteristics that are accounted for by this design include, but are not limited to, friction, engine torque, machine center of gravity, and guide handle position. As a result, dynamic balancing and consequent force/torque reduction were found to result when the machine's center of gravity was shifted substantially relative to a typical machine's center of gravity. Dynamic balancing can be achieved most practically by reversing the orientation of the engine relative to the guide handle assembly when compared to traditional walk behind rotary trowels and shifting the engine as far as practical to the right. This shifting has been found to reduce the operational forces and torque the operator must endure by at least 50% when compared to traditional machines.

Abstract: Provided is an ion implanter having a deceleration lens assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes in which one or more of the apertures of the deceleration electrodes are shaped in a manner which can improve performance of the ion implanter. In one embodiment, an electrode aperture is generally elliptical in shape and conforms generally to the shape of the beam passing through the aperture. In another aspect, an axis segment extends 40% of the length of the aperture from the aperture center to an intermediate point at the end of the segment. The average width of the aperture measured at each point from the center to the intermediate point is substantially less than the maximum width of the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in instructing a user to communicate in Braille includes a frame, a plurality of tactile switching devices, a pair of arms pivotably coupled to the frame, and electronic circuitry supported by the frame. Each switching device can have a raised position or otherwise be activated to emulate a raised Braille dot. Each arm supports at least three of the tactile switching devices. The arms are rotatable along the frame between a first position at which the switching devices are arranged in a 3×2 array of Braille dots for emulating a Braille cell, and a second position at which the arms are pivoted outwardly from each other in a 1×6 row of Braille dots for emulating a Braille writer. The electronic circuitry communicates with the switching devices for producing an auditory output in response to a combination of switching devices selectively activated by the user. The auditory output corresponds to a Braille character represented by the combination of activated switching devices.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for locating, within a set of ordered items, N contiguous items having a desired attribute. The system utilizes a hierarchical bitmap structure. At the lowest level, a bitmap is provided, wherein each bit in the bitmap corresponds to a respective search item. The bit has a state indicative of a state of the search item. This lowest level bitmap is divided into segments. A higher-level bitmap is created, with each bit in this higher-level bitmap being associated with one of the segments and being assigned a state that describes a collective state of the search items associated with the segment. The higher-level bitmap may be sub-divided and the process repeated to create a hierarchical bitmap structure having any number of levels. The bitmap structure may be recursively searched to locate N contiguous ordered search items having a desired attribute.

Abstract: A system is provided for managing telephone calls made to special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming telephone calls can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced caller information pertaining to previous customer telephone calls and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced caller information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced caller information. During the telephone call, the user can view and update the caller information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the telephone call. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, caller information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.

Abstract: An improved adjustable camera strap construction to support a hand-held camera from the back and shoulders. The shoulder strap is slidably received within the slot of a belt hook. A swivel is secured to the other end of the belt hook, and carries a latch which detachably engages a standard camera mounting post.