Author: claimsbot

1. A method for storing and accessing an application database, the method comprising:
in a signaling message routing node having a distributed internal processing architecture:
(a) dividing a database associated with a single telecommunications application into a plurality of different database segments;
(b) storing the database segments on a plurality of different processing modules located within the routing node;
(c) receiving a signaling message at a link interface module;
(d) identifying a segment of the database associated with the telecommunications application for processing the signaling message; and
(e) forwarding the signaling message to the processing module containing the segment of the database for processing the signaling message.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing a database includes dividing a number portability database.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein dividing a number portability database includes dividing the number portability database based geographic locations of ported subscribers.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing a database includes dividing a global title translation database.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein dividing a global title translation database includes dividing the global title translation database based on ranges of subscriber identifiers.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing a database includes dividing an IP telephony subscriber location database.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein dividing an IP telephony subscriber location database includes dividing the IP telephony subscriber location database based IP telephony subscriber identifiers.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing a database includes dividing the database based on network service provider identifiers.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein dividing a database includes dividing an equipment identity register (EIR) database.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and forwarding a signaling message includes receiving and forwarding an SS7 signaling message.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving and forwarding a signaling message includes receiving and forwarding an IP telephony signaling message.
12. A method for processing signaling messages, the method comprising:
in a signaling message routing node having a distributed internal processing architecture:
(a) receiving a signaling message that requires processing by a telephony application;
(b) selecting a processing module from a plurality of processing modules located within the routing node that contains a segment of data associated with the telephony application, wherein each processing module includes a different segment of data from a database associated with the telephony application; and
(c) forwarding the message to the selected processing module.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving a signaling message includes receiving an SS7 signaling message.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein receiving a signaling message includes receiving an IP telephony signaling message.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the telephony application comprises a number portability translation application.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein selecting a processing module comprises selecting a processing module containing the segment of number portability translation data for processing the signaling message.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the number portability translation data is divided among the segments according to geographic locations of ported subscribers.
18. The method of claim 12 wherein the telephony application comprises a global title translation application.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein selecting a processing module comprises selecting a processing module containing the segment of global title translation data for processing the signaling message.
20. The method of claim 12 wherein the telephony application comprises an equipment identity register (EIR) application.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein selecting a processing module comprises selecting a processing module containing the segment of EIR data for processing the signaling message.
22. A signaling message routing node including a distributed internal processing architecture for processing signaling messages, the signaling message routing node comprising:
(a) a link interface module for sending and receiving signaling messages to and from external signaling links, at least some of the signaling messages requiring LNP translation service;
(b) a plurality of processing modules operatively associated with the link interface module and being located within the routing node for storing different portions of number portability translation data for performing number portability translations for received signaling messages; and
(c) a service selection function operatively associated with the link interface module and the processing modules for selecting a processing module from the plurality of processing modules for processing each signaling message requiring number portability translation service and for forwarding the signaling messages to the selected processing modules.
23. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the link interface module comprises an SS7 link interface module.
24. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the link interface module comprises an IP link interface module.
25. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the service selection function is located on the link interface module.
26. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the service selection function is located on a first processing module of the plurality of processing modules, wherein the link interface module is adapted to forward the signaling messages requiring number portability translation service to the first processing module and wherein the service selection function is adapted to forward each signaling message to the processing module containing the set of number portability processing data for processing that signaling message.
27. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 comprising a service selection module separate from the link interface module and the processing modules, wherein the service selection function is located on the service selection module.
28. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein number portability translation data is divided among the processing modules based on geographic locations of ported subscribers.
29. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the number portability translation data includes local number portability translation data.
30. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the number portability translation data includes mobile number portability translation data.
31. The signaling message routing node of claim 22 wherein the number portability translation data includes local and mobile number portability translation data.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A skin cancer preventive agent containing sericin.
2. The skin cancer preventive agent according to claim 1 wherein, the sericin is a hydrolysis product of sericin.
3. The skin cancer preventive agent according to either of claims 1 or 2 wherein, the weight average molecular weight of sericin is from 5,000 to 100,000.

1. A method of dicing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuits, the method comprising:
placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier;
subsequent to placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier, laminating a polymeric mask layer onto a front side of the semiconductor wafer and onto an exposed portion of the substrate carrier by dry film vacuum lamination, the polymeric mask layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits;
patterning the polymeric mask layer with a laser scribing process to provide gaps in the polymeric mask layer, the gaps exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits;
plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the gaps in the polymeric mask layer to singulate the integrated circuits; and
subsequent to plasma etching the semiconductor wafer, removing the polymeric mask layer.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein laminating the polymeric mask layer comprises laminating a non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein removing the polymeric mask layer comprises using an O2-based plasma process.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein laminating the polymeric mask layer comprises laminating a layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a photoresist layer, a photopolymer solder mask layer, and a polyimide layer.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein removing the polymeric mask layer comprises using an O2-based plasma process.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
prior to laminating the polymeric mask layer, cleaning the front side of the semiconductor wafer with a solvent- or aqueous-based cleaning solution.
7. A method of dicing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuits, the method comprising:
laminating a pre-patterned polymeric mask layer onto a front side of the semiconductor wafer by dry film vacuum lamination, the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits and including gaps in the pre-polymeric polymeric mask layer, the gaps exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits;
plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the gaps in the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer to singulate the integrated circuits; and
subsequent to plasma etching the semiconductor wafer, removing the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein laminating the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer comprises laminating a pre-patterned non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein removing the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer comprises using an O2-based plasma process.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein laminating the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer comprises laminating a layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a photoresist layer, a photopolymer solder mask layer, and a polyimide layer.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein removing the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer comprises using an O2-based plasma process.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
prior to laminating the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer, cleaning the front side of the semiconductor wafer with a solvent- or aqueous-based cleaning solution.
13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
subsequent to laminating the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer onto the front side of the semiconductor wafer and prior to plasma etching the semiconductor wafer, placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier.
14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
prior to laminating the pre-patterned polymeric mask layer onto the front side of the semiconductor wafer, placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier.
15. A method of dicing a semiconductor wafer comprising a plurality of integrated circuits, the method comprising:
placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier;
subsequent to placing the semiconductor wafer on a substrate carrier, laminating a non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer onto a front side of the semiconductor wafer and onto an exposed portion of the substrate carrier by dry film vacuum lamination, the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits, wherein the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a photoresist layer, a photopolymer solder mask layer, and a polyimide layer;
patterning the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer with a laser scribing process to provide gaps in the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer, the gaps exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits;
plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the gaps in the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer to singulate the integrated circuits; and
subsequent to plasma etching the semiconductor wafer, removing the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer using an O2-based plasma process.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
prior to laminating the non-water-soluble polymeric mask layer, cleaning the front side of the semiconductor wafer with a solvent- or aqueous-based cleaning solution.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of presenting an object to be imaged over an extended zoom range, the method comprising:
capturing a first digital image of the object at a first optical magnification;
capturing a second digital image of the object at a second optical magnification concurrently with the capturing the first digital image, wherein the second optical magnification is greater than the first optical magnification;
presenting a presented image of the object at a desired magnification, wherein the presenting includes:
digitally zooming within the first digital image to produce the presented image when the desired magnification is less than the second optical magnification; and
digitally zooming within the second digital image to produce the presented image when the desired magnification is greater than the second optical magnification.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes transitioning from the digitally zooming within the first digital image to the digitally zooming within the second digital image.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transitioning includes automatically transitioning responsive to the desired magnification changing from a first desired magnification that is less than the second optical magnification to a second desired magnification that is greater than the second optical magnification.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the transitioning includes transitioning without temporal interruption.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein capturing the first digital image includes capturing the first digital image from a first optical pathway, wherein capturing the second digital image includes capturing the second digital image from a second optical pathway, and further wherein the transitioning includes transitioning without changing either of the first optical pathway and the second optical pathway.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transitioning includes transitioning without physically moving parts that define the first optical pathway and the second optical pathway.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the transitioning includes continuously presenting the presented image during the transitioning.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the first digital image includes capturing the first digital image from a first optical pathway, and further wherein capturing the second digital image includes capturing the second digital image from a second optical pathway that is partially coextensive with, but different from, the first optical pathway.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting includes consecutively presenting a first plurality of presented images of varying magnification that is produced from the first digital image and consecutively presenting a second plurality of presented images of varying magnification that is produced from the second digital image.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes simultaneously presenting the first digital image and the second digital image.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the simultaneously presenting includes simultaneously presenting a plurality of digital images including the first digital image, the second digital image, and the presented image.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further includes selectively controlling at least one of the first optical magnification and the second optical magnification.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting includes at least one of presenting the presented image on a display, outputting data that describes the presented image to a computer system, and storing data that describes the presented image.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes centering the first digital image and the second digital image on a target portion of the object.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the digitally zooming within the first digital image includes digitally zooming within a range bounded by the first optical magnification and the second optical magnification.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting includes sequentially presenting a plurality of presented images of different magnifications, wherein a first portion of the plurality of presented images is produced from the first digital image, and further wherein a second portion of the plurality of presented images is produced from the second digital image.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting includes presenting a first presented image at a first desired magnification and presenting a second presented image at a second desired magnification, wherein the first desired magnification is between the first optical magnification and the second optical magnification, and further wherein the second desired magnification is greater than the second optical magnification.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes capturing a third digital image of the object from a third optical pathway at a third optical magnification concurrently with the capturing the first digital image and the capturing the second digital image, wherein the third optical magnification is greater than the second optical magnification, and further wherein the presenting includes digitally zooming within the third digital image to produce the presented image when the desired magnification is greater than or equal to the third optical magnification.
19. An imaging system for imaging an object, the imaging system comprising:
a first digital imaging device that captures a first digital image of the object at a first optical magnification;
a second digital imaging device that captures a second digital image of the object at a second optical magnification that is greater than the first optical magnification;
a presentation device that presents a presented image of the object at a desired magnification; and
a computer system that controls the operation of the first digital imaging device, the second digital imaging device, and the presentation device using the method of claim 1.
20. The imaging system of claim 19, wherein the imaging system includes a first optical pathway that extends between the object and the first digital imaging device and a second optical pathway that extends between the object and the second digital imaging device, wherein the first optical pathway is different from, but partially coextensive with, the second optical pathway, and further wherein the first digital imaging device captures the first digital image from the first optical pathway and the second digital imaging device captures the second digital image from the second optical pathway.
21. A digitally zooming microscope, comprising:
a light source that illuminates an object to be imaged;
a first optical pathway that projects a first image of the object upon a first digital imaging device at a first optical magnification;
a second optical pathway that projects a second image of the object upon a second digital imaging device at a second optical magnification that is greater than the first optical magnification;
a display for presenting a presented image of the object at a desired magnification; and
a computer system that controls the operation of the digitally zooming microscope using the method of claim 1.
22. A method of providing continuous magnification within an imaging system over an extended zoom range, the method comprising:
presenting a first image that has been magnified by way of a first optical pathway;
digitally zooming within the first image within a range bounded by a first optical magnification provided in the first optical pathway and a second optical magnification provided in a second optical pathway that is different from the first optical pathway; and
when the digitally zoomed first image meets or exceeds the second optical magnification, presenting, without temporal interruption, a second image that has been magnified by way of the second optical pathway, wherein the second image is captured from the second optical pathway concurrently with capture of the first image from the first optical pathway.