Abstract: An instrument for ascertaining whether a surface is horizontal, vertical, or at 45* angle, consisting essentially of an encased, liquid-filled tube containing an air bubble that moves to a center window when the instrument is set on an even plane. Also called a spirit level. A box level including an elongate body, plumb and level vials, and spaced handholds having outer edges together defining first and second parallel application planes beyond first and second face planes of the elongate body.

Abstract: There is provided splice trays and splice assemblies that provide convenient access to optical fiber slack within a relatively small area or volume. Some splice trays are adapted for use with microstructured optical fibers to further reduce the size of the splice tray or splice assembly. Some splice trays provide fiber routing devices on the cover of the splice tray. The fiber routing device may be positioned on an inside surface of the cover and/or on an outside surface of the cover. The splice trays and/or splice assemblies may be used with or as fiber drop terminals used within multiple dwelling units.

Abstract: A facial hair trimmings catcher useful during personal grooming that is collapsible or otherwise adapted for storing as a smaller unit. The catcher includes a bag comprising a closed bottom, closed side walls and an open top and further includes a support member that is attached to the side walls to form a support configuration. The support configuration supports the bag under the face of the user. The support member may include a support strap adapted for passing behind the neck of the user. The bag may be held open by a flexible tension member extending around a top periphery as a frame or disposed as a frame for the side walls such that the bag may be quickly opened or collapsed.

Abstract: A wafer processing method. The method includes providing a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer includes (i) a semiconductor layer and (ii) a dopant layer on top of the semiconductor layer. The dopant layer comprises dopants. The method further includes removing the dopant layer from the semiconductor wafer. No chemical etching is performed on the dopant layer before said removing the dopant layer is performed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to alert bubble management and provide a method, data processing system and computer program product for interactive alert bubbles for alert bubble management. In one embodiment of the invention, an interactive alert bubble can be provided for an alert management data processing system. The interactive alert bubble can include an alert bubble interface to the interactive alert bubble. An alert text field can be disposed in the interface and configured to provide a reference to an alert notification in the alert management data processing system. Additionally, a rating control can be disposed in the interface and configured to establish a rating for the alert notification responsive to a selection of the rating control.

Abstract: A facial hair trimmings catcher useful during personal grooming that is collapsible or otherwise adapted for storing as a smaller unit. The catcher includes a bag comprising a closed bottom, closed side walls and a top and further includes a support member that is attached to the side walls to form a support configuration. The support configuration supports the bag under the face of the user. The support member may include a support strap adapted for passing behind the neck of the user. The catcher may further include one or more hinges attached to a top periphery of the bag so that in the open position the hinge holds the top of the bag open for receiving facial hair trimmings. The bag may be held open by a flexible tension member extending around a top periphery as a frame or disposed as a frame for the side walls.

Abstract: Presented herein are system(s) and method(s) for fast audio and angle switching via multiple demux buffers. In one embodiment, there is presented a circuit for decoding data. The circuit comprises a processor, a system clock, a plurality of queues, and at least one decoder. The processor demultiplexes a plurality of elementary streams from a multiplexed stream, wherein each of the plurality of elementary streams include portions, wherein each of the portions include time stamps. The system clock maintains a clock reference. The plurality of FIFOs correspond to the plurality of elementary streams and FIFO each of the plurality of elementary streams, wherein each of the plurality of FIFOs include a front end, and wherein the front end of each of the plurality of FIFOs stores the portion of the corresponding FIFO that includes a time stamp that is proximate to the clock reference.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a collimator mandrel having variable attenuation characteristics is presented. The manufacturing process includes the placement of a layer of attenuating material on a core of base material. The layer of attenuating material is relatively thin and varies in thickness circumferentially around the core. The collimator mandrel may be manufactured by placing a cast about a core of non-attenuating material, filling a void between the cast and the core with an attenuating material, allowing the material to cure, and removing the cast from the assembly.

Abstract: A dialog management system functions to manage the dialog between a user of a computer system and one or more speech enabled software applications. The user provides spoken input to a microphone connected to the computer system, and hears responses from one or more applications through a speaker connected to the computer system. The dialog management system includes a dialog manager, a turn manager, a speak queue, dialog contexts, and dialog state. The dialog manager provides top-level control of the dialog and stores responses based on the user's spoken input in a speak queue for later output to the user. The turn manager controls delivery of the responses to the user based on the dialog context and the dialog state, to provide a polite asynchronous dialog with the user that enables the user to be in control of the dialog. The dialog context provides information about each dialog. The dialog state provides information about whose turn it is (computer or user) to speak.

Abstract: A publication-and-subscription mechanism for team rooms, referred to as team room “channels”, through which teams are able to selectively share resources from their team rooms with non-members, and that allows selective contributions, modifications, and discussions from non-members. The team room channels operate as bidirectional information pipelines to other team rooms. The team room channels may either be broadcast to all known teams, or be published selectively to one or more designated “target” teams. The receiving team rooms may then subscribe to specific published channels as appropriate. Information items from a team's team room, such as documents, tasks, representations of team members, and/or other resources, may be added to one or more of a team's published channels. Teams can associate specific permissions with each channel, including Read, Contribute, Modify, and/or Discuss. These permissions apply to all items associated with the channel.

Abstract: A system in which awareness information about multiple team rooms to which a user belongs is simultaneously made available in real time through a team member's team room user interface, including visual representations of all the team rooms to which the user belongs, and where the visual representations of the team rooms to which the user belongs are modified in real time to indicate whether any team room members are currently present in each team room. Visual indication of various details about the current state of each team room may further be made available through a hover over “tooltip” or other graphical user interface element. Visual indications of specific team room details may also be provided directly on or as part of the display objects representing the team rooms to which the user belongs. Team room icons may be modified with various specific visual indicators, giving the user abstracted detail information regarding the team rooms.

Abstract: A system for providing an activity-centric collaboration space provides representations of the tasks that the team has planned, is engaged in, and has completed as a means of enhancing cross-team awareness and coordination. The system enables a user to explicitly indicate what task she is currently engaged in on behalf of the team, and makes this current task information available to other team members. A “tasks” view user interface component provides a shared view of all ongoing, planned, and completed tasks for a team. Information about team members' task assignments, and the ability to monitor team members' current tasks, may be used to manage potential interruptions caused by requests for instant messaging sessions and the like. Team members can explicitly establish interruption management policies indicating how task assignments and current tasks should be used to determine whether a communication attempt should be blocked or forwarded to a team member.

Abstract: A system can include: an online storage system; and a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program structured to interact with an electronic mail system and to provide a file-attachment interface that uploads a document to the online storage system in a separate process, and adds associated link information to an electronic mail message before completion of the separate process, in response to requested attachment of the document to the electronic mail message. A method can include: receiving information designating an electronic mail message currently being generated for an electronic mail system residing in a first domain; inserting, in response to the receiving, a file-attachment interface element into a user interface for the electronic mail message; and adding, in response to use of the file-attachment interface element, to the electronic mail message link information identifying a document stored in an online storage system residing in a second domain.

Abstract: A conversation manager processes spoken utterances from a user of a computer. The conversation manager includes a semantics analysis module and a syntax manager. A domain model that is used in processing the spoken utterances includes an ontology (i.e., world view for the relevant domain of the spoken utterances), lexicon, and syntax definitions. The syntax manager combines the ontology, lexicon, and syntax definitions to generate a grammatic specification. The semantics module uses the grammatic specification and the domain model to develop a set of frames (i.e., internal representation of the spoken utterance). The semantics module then develops a set of propositions from the set of frames. The conversation manager then uses the set of propositions in further processing to provide a reply to the spoken utterance.

Abstract: A method for providing menu tree assistance includes receiving a voice request from a user via a telematics unit and a wireless network and determining a voice menu tree based on the voice request. The method further includes receiving at least one response based on the voice menu tree, determining a failure or confirmation based on the at least one response and converting the response to data based on the determined confirmation. The method further includes recording the response based on the determined failure and providing the recorded response and data to an advisor at a call center. A system and a computer readable medium including computer program code are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine assembly including at least a first member and a second member. The method comprises inserting a threaded fastener through an opening formed in a flange, and providing at least one shank nut including a flanged mating end, an opposite non-mating end, and a body extending therebetween. The body includes an internal surface, an external surface, and a centerline extending between the body ends. The flanged mating end includes a substantially planar exterior surface that is aligned perpendicularly to the centerline and an annular groove that extends from the exterior surface at least partially towards the non-mating end. The method also comprises securing the assembly together such that the mating end is positioned flush against the flange and such that the threaded fastener extends at least partially into a bore extending through the shank nut and defined by the shank nut internal surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a collimator mandrel having variable attenuation characteristics is presented. The manufacturing process includes the placement of a layer of attenuating material on a core of base material. The layer of attenuating material is relatively thin and varies in thickness circumferentially around the core. The collimator mandrel may be manufactured by placing a cast about a core of non-attenuating material, filling a void between the cast and the core with an attenuating material, allowing the material to cure, and removing the cast from the assembly.

Abstract: Light generating devices for illuminating portions of vascular tissue, to render photodynamic therapy. In one embodiment, a light source array preferably including a plurality of light emitting diodes, a focusing lens, and a light diffusing element are included in a distal end of a catheter. A balloon is optionally provided to interrupt blood flow that can block the transmission of light, and to center the apparatus in a blood vessel. Optical fibers optionally direct light from the light source to the diffusing element. The light source array can have a radial or linear configuration and can produce more than one wavelength of light for activating different photoreactive agents. Linear light source elements are particularly useful to treat elongate portions of tissue in a vessel. One embodiment intended for use with a conventional balloon catheter integrates light sources into a guidewire.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: producing a control signal at a first substantially steady state logic level indicative of a sleep mode, and at a second substantially steady state logic level indicative of a normal mode; producing a gate signal that is at a substantially steady state null level when the control signal is at the first logic level, and that oscillates at a local clock frequency when the control signal is at the second logic level; producing a local clock signal from a system clock signal as a function of the gate signal; and interposing at least one signal propagation latch circuit between an origin of the control signal and the location at which the gate signal is produced.