Abstract: A thermally tunable optical fiber device comprises a length of optical fiber including a device disposed within a microcapillary heater. The microcapillary heater can include a thin film resistive heater. The fiber itself can optionally include a thin film resistive heater overlying the device, and a plurality of nested microcapillary tubes can optionally provide a plurality of successive concentric heaters overlying the device. The heaters films can be films with uniform, tapered or periodically varying thickness. The heaters can be single layer or multiple layer. Multiple layer films can be superimposed with intervening insulating layers or plural layers can be formed on different angular regions of the microcapillary. Thus one can provide virtually any desired temperature versus length profile along the fiber device.

Abstract: A portable modular apparatus that simply and unobtrusively mounts on the top of a piano or keyboard, and detects key movement. The rectangular back side of the modular apparatus serves to effectively mount the apparatus. The self-mounting portable apparatus has associated with each key an optical coupler. The self-mounting portable apparatus has associated with each black key a thin, reflective, flexible insert that positions itself between its respective key and optical coupler when the portable apparatus is mounted. The reflective insert then moves in relation to the movement of its respective key.

Abstract: A facility is provided to allow for dynamic configuration of data routing between TCP/IP stacks of multiple partitions of a multi-partition processing system and a network adapter such as a local area network (LAN) gateway for the multi-partition processing system. The facility includes a command for automatically providing the network adapter with information that a particular partition of the processing system is to function as a router; and using the information at the network adapter to forward data received across the network to the partition when the data is to an unregistered HOME internet protocol (IP) address. The forwarding of data to the router partition occurs without any conventional IP processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling persistence measurement of channel associated signaling for a plurality of line circuits, eg, T1, E1, OC3, STM 1 circuits, which extracts channel associated signaling data from a plurality of line circuits; assembles the channel associated signaling data into a data frame; contains the data frame in a suitable carrier, eg, an AAL 0 cell; monitors a continuous stream of the data frames, to check for changes in line status; and generates an event message data frame when a persistent change of line state has been detected. The extracting of associated signaling data may be provided on a separate card to a call control processor, and using separate processor functionality.

Abstract: A hanger design to which a conglomeration of seed, treat or other food product may be adhered and which can be easily Installed and effectively secured to most animal cages is provided. The hanger of the invention includes a shaft having a plate disposed at one end in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of the shaft. The plate has an outside surface formed with a pair of vertical ribs and an extending horizontal locking tab which together can be used to lock the hanger unit to a conventional animal cage.

Abstract: A cable suitable for detecting the presence of corrosive liquids is disclosed. In an embodiment the cable includes two sensing wires wrapped around a core member, at least one of the sensing wires being surrounded by a non-conductive surface layer. In an alternate embodiment the cable includes two sensing wires wrapped around a core member, the sensing wires and core member being encapsulated by a non-conductive surface layer. Preferably, the cable includes insulating wires for detecting the location of a leak. When a corrosive liquid contacts the sensing wires of the cable an electrical connection is created between them.

Abstract: A swivel/quick release device having a shaft adapted to receive a load at one end operated associated with a bearing means at its other end; a housing in which said shaft is slidably mounted. A release and attachment means is disposed in the housing around the bearing means releasably retaining an attachment for a tow rope. Spring means is present within the housing and engaging the shaft such that as a load is increasingly applied to one end of the shaft, the spring means is compressed within the housing until the attachment for a tow rope is released.

Abstract: A method of full-duplex electromagnetic communication wherein a pair of data modulation formats are selected for the forward and return data links respectively such that the forward data electro-magnetic beam serves as a carrier for the return data. A method of encoding optical information is used wherein right-hand and left-hand circular polarizations are assigned to optical information to represent binary states. An application for an earth to low earth orbit optical communications system is presented which implements the full-duplex communication and circular polarization keying modulation format.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the in situ purification of aquifers contaminated with ethers and/or alcohols using a bacterial culture, a method of delivering the culture to the subsurface, and an oxygen delivery system.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure for use in an integrated circuit (IC). The ESD structure comprises a metallic resistor and a metallic capacitor that are electrically coupled in series to form a resistor-capacitor (RC) component having an appropriate RC time constant. The RC component maintains a level of charge between ground and a shunt node to ensure that, during an ESD event, electrostatic charge on a power supply, VDD, associated with the ESD structure is shunted via a shunt path from said power supply VDD to said ground. By using metal to create the metal resistor and capacitor, charge leakage problems that result from parasitic capacitance associated with using an RC component comprised of either a poly, active, or nwell resistor in combination a diode are eliminated. By eliminating such charge leakage problems, a more reliable RC component, and thus a more reliable RC time constant, are obtained.

Abstract: A method of detecting sequential data transfer requests, includes determining whether a first data transfer request crosses a boundary address, and, if it does, determining if the first data transfer request may be indicated as combinable with subsequent data transfer requests. The method may also include determining whether a previous data transfer request has been indicated as combinable, and if it has been indicated as combinable, determining that a new data transfer request is addressed adjacent to the previous data transfer request.

Abstract: A one piece anastomosis device is disclosed which is formed of a superelastic or pseudoelastic material which self deforms or self deploys from an insertion configuration to a tissue holding configuration. The device in a deployed state preferably includes an inner tissue penetrating flange which penetrate and retains an everted graft vessel and an outer flange. The self deploying anastomosis device does not rely on a temperature transformation to achieve deployment.

Abstract: An integrated optical waveguide sensor system includes: an optical waveguide having a monolithic and roughened metallic layer on which a self-assembled monolayer is formed; an optical energy source for generating an optical excitation signal; and a spectrometer for detecting spectra of optical energy emitted from the optical waveguide. The waveguide facilitates multiple SERS responses resulting from interactions between the optical excitation signal and an analyte of interest that may be present on the surface of the self-assembled monolayer. Thus, the sensor system provides a sensor for detecting organic contaminants with a sensitivity of ppm and even ppb in some cases.

Abstract: A method for storing a temperature threshold in an integrated circuit includes measuring operating parameters of the integrated circuit versus temperature, calculating a maximum temperature at which the integrated circuit performance exceeds predetermined specifications and storing parameters corresponding to the maximum temperature in a comparison circuit in the integrated circuit by selectively blowing fusable devices in the comparison circuit. The fusable devices may be antifuses.

Abstract: Methods and devices for molding a desired configuration into an endovascular graft section that is made of a plurality of layers of fusible material. Layers of fusible material are disposed on a shape forming mandrel with seams in the layers that may be configured to produce inflatable channel. The graft section and shape forming mandrel can be placed in a mold which contains an outer layer or layers of fusible material while the inflatable channels are being expanded and the fusible material of the graft section fixed. In some embodiments, the fusible material of the graft section may be fixed by a sintering process.

Abstract: A planter apparatus includes a seed meter including a housing assembly with a cover releasably connected to a shell. The housing assembly includes at least one opening formed therein adjacent a seed discharge area to promote the release of seeds from a disc rotatably attached to the housing assembly. The disc divides an interior of the housing assembly to include a vacuum chamber and a seed chamber. The disc including a plurality of openings formed adjacent a periphery of the disc. The planter apparatus may also include a singulator assembly having rotatably spools, a rotatable chute door, a disc having clusters of openings for simultaneous release, and a one-piece baffle.

Abstract: Reworkable thermally conductive adhesive composition including a cured reaction product from a diepoxide wherein the epoxy groups are connected through an acyclic acetal moiety, a cyclic anhydride and a thermally conductive filler are provided and used to bond semiconductive devices to a chip carrier or heat spreader.

Abstract: A lithography system include a lithography patterning chamber, a wafer exchange chamber separated from the lithography patterning chamber by a first gate valve, and at least one alignment load-lock separated from the wafer exchange chamber by a second gate valve. The alignment load-lock includes an alignment stage that aligns a wafer during pump-down. The alignment load-lock can be uni-directional or bi-directional. The lithography system can include more than one alignment load-locks.

Abstract: A capacitor structure (10) is implemented in an integrated circuit chip (11) along with other devices at the device level in the chip structure. The method of manufacturing the capacitor includes forming an elongated device body (17) on a semiconductor substrate from a first semiconductor material. Fabrication also includes forming lateral regions (20, 22) on both lateral sides of this device body (17). These lateral regions (20, 22) are formed from a second semiconductor material. A dielectric layer (28) is formed over both lateral regions (20, 22) and the device body (17), while an anode layer (30) is formed over the dielectric layer in an area defined by the device body. Each lateral region (20, 22) is coupled to ground at a first end (25) of the elongated device body (17). The anode (30) is coupled to the chip supply voltage at a second end (33) of the device body opposite to the first end. The entire structure is designed and dimensioned to form an area-efficient and high-frequency capacitor.

Abstract: A tubing conveyed multi-position well treating tool having a tubular housing and a tubular inner member which are relatively positionable at “Set”, “Treat”, “Dump” and “Release” positions actuated by a mechanical indexing mechanism. The indexing mechanism is loaded by a spring, such as a compressed gas spring or mechanical spring, which urges the tubular housing away from the tubing connection of the inner tubular member, thus requiring no set-down forces for tool actuation or indexing. The treating tool is anchored within the well casing by hydraulic pressure actuated buttons, thus eliminating the typical requirement for anchoring actuation by set-down forces. The treating tool is sealed within the casing by pressure energized packers which are activated by the hydraulic pressure of fluid supplied from the tubing. The tool provides a bypass passage to allow communication of the zones above and below the tool while isolating the straddled interval to be treated.