Abstract: A configurable output buffer capable of providing differential drive having complementary pairs of CMOS transistors having a common output terminal and a common control terminal, and with the second terminal of each CMOS transistor connected to its corresponding supply terminal through a corresponding current source or current sink.

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide a fault-handling scheme based on forward recovery for cooperative workflow environments. The fault handling scheme relies on the correct placement of transaction scopes and their associated fault and compensation handlers for maintaining correct application semantics, a fault propagation scheme for forwarding faults to a workflow component that has the corresponding fault handler, and a distributed mechanism for collecting data of completed workflow components to facilitate recovering from faults. The fault handling scheme makes use of control flow messages to facilitate compensation of nested transaction scopes (residing in different components). The workflow components are also modified with additional code for aiding with fault propagation and fault recovery.

Abstract: Decentralized orchestration of composite services results in a number of flow topologies which differ in their messaging patterns and the distribution of flow code amongst different partitions of a topology. Different performance metrics result for different topologies, and this is governed by the availability of resources, such as CPU cycles, memory, network bandwidth, and so on. A performance model is used to evaluate the performance of different topologies based on availability of resources, and dynamically direct client requests between different topologies according to prevailing conditions.

Abstract: Aqueous polishing slurries for chemical-mechanical polishing are effective for polishing copper at high polish rates. The aqueous slurries according to the present invention may include soluble salts of molybdenum dissolved in an oxidizing agent and molybdic acid dissolved in an oxidizing agent. Methods for polishing copper by chemical-mechanical planarization include polishing copper with low pressures using a polishing pad and a aqueous slurries including soluble salts of molybdenum dissolved in an oxidizing agent and molybdic acid dissolved in an oxidizing agent, particles of MoO3 dissolved in an oxidizing agent, and particles of MoO2 dissolved in an oxidizing agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Differential Signaling line driver including a pre-emphasis circuit, which boosts the output drive current without any delay whenever there is a transition in the input signal to the driver, using the input signal itself to provide the pre-emphasis through a current steering circuit that switches the direction of drive currents to provide a differential output signal. A delayed signal is then used to disable the pre-emphasis after a short period.

Abstract: The differential input receiver provides constant symmetrical hysteresis over a wide input signal range. The differential input receiver includes a pair of complementary differential comparators having common input terminals, a pair of series connected complementary current mirrors each having source terminals driven by the output terminals of the corresponding differential comparator, a pair of transistors connected in series across each differential pair transistor in each differential comparator to form a potential divider across it, and a pair of series connected inverting buffers connected to a common output of the differential comparators to provide the final output. The individual buffer outputs are fed back to the control terminals of the series connected transistors in a manner that provides positive feedback thereby providing equal rise-time, fall-delay and transition times in the output signal.

Abstract: A technique for orchestrating composite web services in a constrained data flow environment. Data flow constraints represent the restrictions which the domains involved in composition might want to impose on access to the data they provide or the source from which they can accept data. The data flow constraints are overcome by breaking down an input composite web service specification into topologies (a topology is a set of partitions communicatively connected with one another at runtime). The system applies a rule-based filtering mechanism to choose a topology that does not violate any data flow constraints. Each of the partitions belonging to the chosen topology is executed within the same domain as the corresponding web service it invokes, thus having the same access rights as the corresponding web service. The composite web service is orchestrated in a decentralized fashion using these partitions, thereby ensuring that no data flow constraints are violated.

Abstract: A voltage level translator for digital logic circuits provides high level to low level voltage translation with equal rise and fall delays. The voltage level translator may include an input high voltage logic inverter (operating at the high voltage level) and connected to an output low voltage logic inverter operating at the low voltage level via a voltage reduction circuit. A related method for providing high level to low voltage translation may include providing an input inverter operating at the high voltage level and an output inverter operating at the low voltage level. Furthermore, the output of the high voltage inverter may be coupled to the input of the low voltage inverter after reducing the output voltage of the high voltage inverter to the required level.

Abstract: A tetherless handset telephone with an earpiece connection port is disclosed. The handset is small in size and has an internal antenna. Thus, the handset can easily be placed within the user's pocket. A belt carrier for use with the handset holds the handset upside-down with the connection port easily accessible. The handset is arranged so that it can be cradled within a base unit and recharged while the handset is face-up.