Abstract: A method for forming a patterned ITO structure by using a photosensitive ITO solution is provided. By mixing both the ITO and photosensitive material to form a photosensitive ITO solution on a substrate, a patterned ITO structure is available by directly exposing and developing the photosensitive ITO layer. Significantly, no photo-resist layer is required.

Abstract: An object tracking technique is provided which, given: (i) a potentially large data set; (ii) a set of dimensions along which the data has been ordered; and (iii) a set of functions for measuring the similarity between data elements, a set of objects are produced. Each of these objects is defined by a list of data elements. Each of the data elements on this list contains the probability that the data element is part of the object. The method produces these lists via an adaptive, knowledge-based search function which directs the search for high-probability data elements. This serves to reduce the number of data element combinations evaluated while preserving the most flexibility in defining the associations of data elements which comprise an object.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for rewriting queries during a database query processing operation to include auxiliary attributes not included in the original query, thus improving processing efficiency. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for rewriting a query in a query processing operation includes the following steps. First, the query is processed in accordance with at least a portion of a data set, producing query results. Second, data attributes from the query results are analyzed. Finally, at least one new predicate from at least one auxiliary data attribute is appended on the query.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving the adhesion capability between the &pgr;-type bus electrode and ITO (indium tin oxide) transparent conductive layer. The method includes an ITO transparent conductive layer as an ITO electrode is formed on the glass substrate by sputtering method. Then, a photoresist layer with a cavity pattern is formed on the portion of the ITO transparent conductive film. Next, an etching process is used to remove portion of the ITO transparent conductive film to form a cavity within the ITO transparent conductive film. Then, after removing the photoresist layer, a silver paste as a bus electrode is formed on the glass substrate and on the ITO transparent conductor film to form a pi (&pgr;) type bus electrode by print method.

Abstract: A guitar stand includes a standing device having a main tube upwardly extending therefrom. A telescope tube is partially and reciprocally movably and received in the main tube, the telescope tube having a first end movably received in the main tube and a second end having a connector pivotally connected to the telescope. A U-shaped fork longitudinally is secured on a free end of the connector and holds a neck of the guitar in place. A supporting device is pivotally mounted to the main tube supports a body of the guitar. The supporting device includes a shaft and a seat securely mounted to of the shaft. Two supporting rods are respectively pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the seat. Each supporting rod includes a flat section pivotally received in the seat and an expanding section forward extending from each of the supporting rod.

Abstract: An electroluminescent clock is disclosed, wherein light emitting dots are installed on the back side of a transparent plate and ring around and beneath luminous markers, whereby when the light emitting dots are enabled, the luminous markers can be presented with uniform lighting to allow a user to see the clock time in the darkness and even from a distance. The night light feature is further enhanced by a special design that creates a soft visual effect on the dial of the clock for easy recognition of clock time.

Abstract: The pla sma display panel has some pairs of non-transparent discharge electrodes. Herein, no transparent discharge electrode is desired. Herein, for each pair, the non-transparent discharge electrodes are separated but closed to effectively discharge. Besides, the area of the non-transparent discharge electrodes is clearly smaller than the area of the panel. Furthermore, the shape of each non-transparent discharge electrode is alike to a shape with some openings, such as ladder or chain.

Abstract: A driving electrode structure of a plasma display panel is described. The driving electrode structure has a driving electrode located in one luminant cell of each pixel. The driving electrode is formed on a transparent electrode and separated by a distance from the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of the luminant cells. The driving electrode has two branches coupled to a main electrode or a side electrode at the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of luminant cells. The driving electrode approximates the discharge center of the luminant cell to improve the driving characteristic.

Abstract: Ranked fuzzy cartesian queries request top-K composite objects in a multimedia database. These composite objects, comprising multiple simple objects with their relations specified, are ranked by a fuzzy AND score of individual object properties and their fuzzy relations. Ranked fuzzy cartesian queries appeared in many different applications but were not fully exploited because of high computational complexity. In accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for preprocessing a ranked fuzzy cartesian query to prune candidates which will not appear in the final top-K composite objects. Algorithms for processing queries against two simple objects and against three or more simple objects are separately described. These algorithms use a bound-and-prune technique to determine the candidates which can be removed from the search space. Disclosed methods are guaranteed to have no false dismissal.

Abstract: A driving electrode structure of a plasma display panel is described. The driving electrode structure has a driving electrode located in one luminant cell of each pixel. The driving electrode is formed on a transparent electrode and separated by a distance from the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of the luminant cells. The driving electrode has two branches coupled to a main electrode or a side electrode at the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of luminant cells. The driving electrode approximates the discharge center of the luminant cell to improve the driving characteristic.

Abstract: An electroluminescent clock is disclosed, wherein light emitting dots are installed on the back side of a transparent plate and ring around and beneath luminous markers, whereby when the light emitting dots are enabled, the luminous markers can be presented with uniform lighting to allow a user to see the clock time in the darkness and even from a distance. The night light feature is further enhanced by a special design that creates a soft visual effect on the dial of the clock for easy recognition of clock time.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for enabling parametric searches on source data using text search engine. The invention is generally divided into a build-time process and a run-time process. During the build-time process, a crawler extracts data units from source data. A data translator then translates data units into keyword parametric entries that are submitted to the text search engine. During the run-time process, a query translator translates parametric search queries into keyword search entries. A metatag refiner then filters intermediate search results from the search engine based on the parametric search query.

Abstract: Described is a method and apparatus for obtaining accurate, timely information for event detection and prediction based on autonomous opportunism. The objective is to make the best possible use of all available resources at the time of acquisition, including historical data, multiple sensors, and multiresolution acquisition capabilities, under a given set of processing and communication bandwidth constraints. This method (and the corresponding apparatus) fuses multiple adaptively acquired data sources to prepare information for use by decision support models. The onboard data acquisition schedule is constructed to maximize the prediction accuracy of the decision models, which are designed to operate progressively, utilizing data representations consisting of multiple abstraction levels and multiple resolutions.

Abstract: A clock has a luminous decoration member provided on a dial of the clock. The luminous decoration member is made of a transparent material and formed in an annular shape having multiple lightings fitted therearound. A layer of fluorescent material is applied on a rear side of the luminous decoration member. Whereby when the lightings are providing light on the luminous decoration member, the fluorescent material applied on the luminous decoration member is lit so as to emit colorful fluorescence to the surroundings thereof. Therefore, a user can easily observe the dial and clock hands of the clock in the dark or night.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing a multi-tier object-relational database architecture are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a multi-tier database architecture comprises an object-relational database engine as a top tier, one or more domain-specific extension modules as a bottom tier, and one or more universal extension modules as a middle tier. The individual extension modules of the bottom tier operationally connect with the one or more universal extension modules which, themselves, operationally connect with the database engine. The domain-specific extension modules preferably provide such functions as search, index, and retrieval services of images, video, audio, time series, web pages, text, XML, spatial data, etc. The domain-specific extension modules may include one or more IBM DB2 extenders, Oracle data cartridges and/or Informix datablades, although other domain-specific extension modules may be used.

Abstract: A process for electrodepositing a low stress nickel-manganese multilayer alloy on an electrically conductive substrate is provided. The process includes the steps of immersing the substrate in an electrodeposition solution containing a nickel salt and a manganese salt and repeatedly passing an electric current through an immersed surface of the substrate. The electric current is alternately pulsed for predetermined durations between a first electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and a second electrical current that is effective to electrodeposit nickel and manganese. A multilayered alloy having adjacent layers of nickel and a nickel-manganese alloy on the immersed surface of the substrate is thereby produced. The resulting multilayered alloy exhibits low internal stress, high strength and ductility, and high strength retention upon exposure to heat.

Abstract: Electronic marketplaces typically apply catalog schema in the format of name-value pairs to store product attribute names and values to achieve a very high degree of flexibility. This vertical schema approach prevents traditional relational database management systems from accurately estimating constraint selectivity and generating efficient query plans. In this invention, methods and systems are disclosed for building and maintaining external histograms and a query planner uses these external histograms to assist query planning in relational databases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of a biodegradable, water absorbable resin, by directly cross-linking of a culture broth with a cross-linker. The cross-linker contains two or more functional groups in the same molecule which can react with the functional groups in the culture broth. The present invention further relates to a biodegradable, water absorbable resin and its uses.

Abstract: A management system for a computer system is disclosed. The computer system operates or includes various products (e.g., software products) that can be managed in a management system or collectively by a group of management systems. Typically, the management system operates on a computer separate from the computer system being managed. The management system can make use of a knowledge base of causing symptoms for previously observed problems at other sites or computer systems. In other words, the knowledge base can built from and shared by different users across different products to leverage knowledge that is otherwise disparate. The knowledge base typically grows over time. The management system can use its ability to request information from the computer system being managed together with the knowledge base to infer a problem root cause in the computer system being managed.

Abstract: A driving electrode structure of a plasma display panel is described. The driving electrode structure has a driving electrode located in one luminant cell of each pixel. The driving electrode is formed on a transparent electrode and separated by a distance from the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of the luminant cells. The driving electrode has two branches coupled to a main electrode or a side electrode at the side of the transparent electrode adjacent to the edge of luminant cells. The driving electrode approximates the discharge center of the luminant cell to improve the driving characteristic.