Abstract: A determination is made whether a first application server of a group of N application servers, N being at least two, is a coordinator of the group. Responsive to determining that the first application server is the coordinator of the group, a connection to a billing system is established, via a terminal server, by the first application server. A determination is made whether a second application server of the group of N application servers is the coordinator of the group. Responsive to determining that the second application server is not the coordinator of the group, a periodic check is made whether the second application server of the group of N application servers is the coordinator of the group. The second application server may later be determined to be the coordinator of the group, when the first server experiences difficulty.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems for centrally and uniformly controlling the operation of a variety of devices, such as communication, consumer electronic, audio-video, analog, digital, 1394, and the like, over a variety of protocols within a network system and, more particularly, a control system and uniform user interface for centrally controlling these devices in a manner that appears seamless and transparent to the user. In a preferred embodiment, a command center or hub of a network system includes a context and connection permutation sensitive control system that enables centralized and seamless integrated control of all types of input devices. The control system preferably includes a versatile icon based graphical user interface that provides a uniform, on-screen centralized control system for the network system.

Abstract: The present invention describes electroformed thin-wall nickel cutting saws or blades that are impregnated with diamond abrasives. The thin-wall saws are formed with a plurality of raised portions and an equal plurality of recessed portions, with each raised portion alternating with a recessed portion, the raised and recessed portions are substantially parallel and are connected by transition portions. In another embodiment, some of the transition regions are formed with intermediate steps or partially raised and recessed portions. These intermediate steps or partially recessed and raised portions allow more uniform distribution of matrix material across a kerf width D1 as the cutting saw is spun, thereby, giving the cut edge a substantially square profile.

Abstract: An electrical power producing wind turbine eliminates the possibility of being struck by lightning, reduces the complexity of gear trains and simplifies maintenance at heights. The wind turbine is electrically isolated from ground to reduce the possibility of being struck by lightning and the generator is located at ground level to simplify maintenance. The turbine blade shaft is directly attached to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic fluid is transmitted to ground level through dielectric tubing and acts both as an electrical isolating medium and a transmitter of mechanical energy to the generator located at ground level. The wind turbine blade, shaft and hydraulic pump are electrically isolated from the support structure at the upper end.

Abstract: A method for determining a location and characterization of an object using a magnetic gradient tensor measurement of the object is provided. The method includes determining an object magnetic field candidate predicted from one of an object measured magnetic field gradient and an assumed object magnetic moment magnitude, and determining an object vector location and an object vector magnetic moment by combining the object magnetic field candidate with an object measured magnetic field.

Abstract: A programmable activate-precharge cycle are provided for a DRAM device. Activate and precharge signals associated with the activate-precharge cycle are generated on the basis of the programmed rate and precharge time with respect to an internal clock of the DRAM device. The activate and precharge signals are coupled to wordlines of the DRAM device, and switched from one wordline to another under internal or external control. One or more functions of the DRAM device are tested while the activate and precharge signals are coupled to wordline. The manner in which switching the activate and precharge signals from one wordline to another wordline is configured depending on the type of testing to be conducted.

Abstract: An entertainment monitoring system for the gaming industry is disclosed to provide real-time multi-site, slot accounting, player tracking, cage credit and vault, sports book data collection, and table game accounting. The system is operable on a computer network and is capable of displaying data in a plurality of different display languages selectable by a user of the system.

Abstract: The present invention describes electroformed thin-wall nickel core drills that are impregnated with diamond abrasives. The thin-wall core drills are formed with a plurality of raised portions and an equal plurality of recessed portions, with each raised portion alternating with a recessed portion, the raised and recessed portions are substantially parallel and are connected by transition portions. In another embodiment, some of the transition regions are formed with intermediate steps or partially raised and recessed portions. These intermediate steps or partially raised or recessed portions allow more uniform distribution of matrix material across a kerf width D1 as the core drill is spun, thereby, giving the cut edge a substantially square profile.

Abstract: The present invention describes electroformed thin-wall nickel cutting saws or blades that are impregnated with diamond abrasives. The thin-wall saws are formed with a plurality of raised portions and an equal plurality of recessed portions, with each raised portion alternating with a recessed portion, the raised and recessed portions are substantially parallel and are connected by transition portions. In another embodiment, some of the transition regions are formed with intermediate steps or partially raised and recessed portions. These intermediate steps or partially recessed and raised portions allow more uniform distribution of matrix material across a kerf width D1 as the cutting saw is spun, thereby, giving the cut edge a substantially square profile.

Abstract: A method for determining a location and characterization of an object using a magnetic gradient tensor measurement of the object is provided. The method includes determining an object magnetic field candidate predicted from one of an object measured magnetic field gradient and an assumed object magnetic moment magnitude, and determining an object vector location and an object vector magnetic moment by combining the object magnetic field candidate with an object measured magnetic field.

Abstract: The present invention enables a user to create, modify, simulate and save an electrical circuit using an Internet browser over an Internet connection. The user can change the connectivity of the circuit as well as add and/or remove components in a free form manner. The schematic is displayed within a web page on the user's machine with which the user may interact. Block symbols may be used to represent at least a portion of the schematic.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of a light emitting device on a substrate, the light emitting device having a wafer with multiple epitaxial layers and an ohmic contact layer on the epitaxial layers remote from the substrate. The method includes the steps: (a) applying to the ohmic contact layer a seed layer of a thermally conductive metal; (b) electroplating a relatively thick layer of the conductive metal on the seed layer; and (c) removing the substrate. A corresponding light emitting device is also disclosed. The light emitting device is a GaN light emitting diode or laser diode.

Abstract: A roulette wheel tracking device is disclosed. The roulette wheel tracking device comprises a base having a first side opposite a second side and a roulette wheel illustration disposed on the first side and the second side with an orifice at a centerpoint of each of the roulette wheel illustrations. The device also comprises a first member rotatably coupled to a first side of the base via a fastener disposed through an opening in the first member and the orifice of the base, wherein the first member has a circular shape and comprises a clear material. The device further comprises a second member rotatably coupled to the second side of the base via the fastener disposed through an opening in the second member and the orifice of the base, wherein the second member has a circular shape and comprises a clear material.

Abstract: A memory device and methods to exploit extra or dummy wordlines in the memory device, wherein the extra wordlines are not part of a main memory area of the memory device but, when activated, connect their attached memory cells to the bitlines of the main memory area. The extra wordlines are connected to a voltage in such a manner so as to simulate a floating wordline condition. Associated with each extra wordline is a driver circuit that connects the extra wordline to a voltage to allow it to charge up to the voltage, and subsequently disconnects the wordline from the voltage to allow it to float. While the extra wordline is floating, measurements may be made on the memory device to gather data useful for testing production memory chips for floating wordline conditions. According to another aspect, one or more extra wordlines may be activated to connect its attached memory cells to bitlines, thereby increasing the capacitance on the bitlines.

Abstract: The disclosed technology facilitates recovery from storage-related failures by checkpointing copy-on-write operation sequences. An operation sequence incorporating such checkpoints into a copy-on-write can include the following: receive a write request that identifies payload data to be written to a first data store, read original data associated with the first data store, copy the original data to a second data store, record transactional information associated with the write request, generate a first checkpoint to confirm the successful recordation of the transactional information and the successful copying of the original data to the second data store, write the payload data to the first data store, acknowledge a successful completion of the copy-on-write operation sequence, and generate a second checkpoint that confirms the successful completion of such operation sequence. The first and second checkpoints are used to form a pre-failure representation of one or more storage units (or parts thereof).

Abstract: A method for fabrication of a semiconductor device on a substrate, the semiconductor having a wafer. The method includes the steps:(a) applying a seed layer of a thermally conductive metal to the wafer; (b) electroplating a relatively thick layer of the conductive metal on the seed layer, and(c) removing the substrate. A corresponding semiconductor device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cue holder having a base with an upper surface. An elongated support having an elongated extending channel open along one side ahs one end secured to the upper surface of the base so that the axis of the support intersects vertical at an acute angle and so that the channel opening opens upwardly from the base.

Abstract: An entertainment management system for the gaming industry provides real-time multi-site, slot accounting, player tracking, cage credit and vault, sports book data collection, and table game accounting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus according to the present invention enable wafer chips to be configured with a single power on and off sequence and further enable a chip parameter to be adjusted during a wafer test without utilizing that sequence. In particular, each wafer chip under test is assigned a unique programmable identification. Once each chip has been assigned a corresponding identification, the chips may each be individually accessible by that identification to provide parameter values to chip registers to configure that chip. The configured chips may be subsequently tested in parallel to evaluate the parameter settings. In addition, the present invention enables chips to share data I/O pins or lines, thereby reducing the quantity of testing machine pins utilized for each chip and enabling a greater quantity of chips to be tested in a parallel fashion.

Abstract: A tire composition is provided that may include a sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane and an unsaturated elastomer. The sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane may include a chemically protected sulfur group, which includes a thiocarbamate, a dithiocarbamate, or a derivative or analog of thiocarbamate or dithiocarbamate. Under certain conditions, the sulfur group may react with the unsaturated elastomer. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to methods of making and using the sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane in tire compositions.