Author: claimsbot

1. A method of electrical interconnection for a microelectronic circuit having a substrate with bond pads for electronic connection to the microelectronic circuit, the method comprising:
forming a bundle of microfilaments, wherein at least two of the microfilaments include an electrically-conductive portion extending along their lengths; and
bonding the at least two microfilaments to the microelectronic circuit substrate at corresponding bond pads to form electrical connections between the electrically-conductive portions of the at least two microfilaments and the corresponding bond pads.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning the at least two microfilaments to make contact between a side surface of the microfilament and the microelectronic circuit substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting the at least two microfilaments to a second electronic component.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a connector at an end of the bundle.
5. The method of claim 5 wherein forming a connector comprises:
positioning ends of the microfilaments differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface at the end of the bundle; and
fixing together a portion of the microfilaments near the end of the bundle to form the connector.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising mating the connector to a second bundle of microfilaments having a compatible connector.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a bundle of microfilaments comprises placing the microfilaments so that each microfilament is touching at least one adjacent microfilament.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a bundle of microfilaments comprises surrounding each of the at least two microfilaments having an electrically-conductive portion by a plurality of insulating microfilaments.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming a bundle of microfilaments comprises depositing the electrically-conductive portions on outer surfaces of the at least two microfilaments.
10. A microelectronic circuit comprising:
a substrate having microelectronic circuitry disposed thereon, the microelectronic circuitry including a plurality of bond pads;
a bundle of microfilaments wherein at least a first subset of the microfilaments are signal-carrying microfilaments having longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions; and
wherein the signal-carrying microfilaments are directly bonded to corresponding bond pads to make electrical connection between the corresponding bond pads and the longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions of the signal-carrying microfilaments.
11. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein a first end of the signal-carrying microfilaments are bonded to the substrate.
12. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein a second subset of the microfilaments are insulating microfilaments.
13. The microelectronic circuit of claim 11 wherein the signal-carrying microfilaments are separated from each other by at least one insulating microfilament.
14. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein the longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portion includes a circumferential ring disposed near an end of the microfilament.
15. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein at least one of the plurality of bond pads is disposed within an interior portion of the substrate.
16. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 further comprising:
a package having a lead frame with lead-connecting portions, wherein the substrate is disposed within the package; and
wherein the signal-carrying microfilaments are bonded to corresponding lead-connecting portions of the lead frame to make electrical connection between the longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions of the signal-carrying microfilaments and the lead-connecting portions of the lead frame.
17. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein second ends of the bundle of microfilaments are formed into a connector.
18. The microelectronic circuit of claim 17 wherein the second ends of the bundle are disposed differentially with respect to each other to define a three-dimensional interdigitating mating surface.
19. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 further comprising:
a second substrate having microelectronic circuitry disposed thereon, the microelectronic circuitry including a plurality of second bond pads; and
wherein the signal-carrying microfilaments are directly bonded to corresponding second bond pads to make electrical connection between the longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions and the corresponding second bond pads.
20. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein at least one of the signal-carrying microfilaments includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions, and wherein the at least one signal-carrying microfilament makes electrical connection between the plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions and a corresponding plurality of the bond pads.
21. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate.
22. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein the substrate is a printed circuit board.
23. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10 wherein the bond pad is a plated through hole.
24. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the microfilaments have a cross section chosen from the group of shapes consisting of round, oval, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and polygonal.
25. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the microfilaments are chosen from the group of filamentary structures consisting of a microwire, an insulated microwire, and a glass fiber.
26. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the microfilaments have a cross-sectional diameter of less than 15 micrometer.
27. The microelectronic circuit of claim 10, wherein the microfilaments are all substantially equal in cross section dimension.
28. A microelectronic circuit comprising:
a substrate having microelectronic circuitry disposed thereon, the microelectronic circuitry including a plurality of bond pads; and
at least one microfilament having a plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions, the microfilament being directly bonded to the substrate near a first end of the microfilament so that at least one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending conductive portions makes electrical contact to a corresponding bond pad.
29. The microelectronic circuit of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions makes electrical contact to a corresponding bond pad.
30. The microelectronic circuit of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions comprises an electrically-conductive ring disposed circumferentially around the at least one microfilament.
31. The microelectronic circuit of claim 28, further comprising a connector wherein a second end of the microfilament is coupled to the connector.
32. The microelectronic circuit of claim 28, further comprising:
a second substrate having microelectronic circuitry disposed thereon, the microelectronic circuitry including a plurality of second bond pads; and
wherein the microfilament is directly bonded to the second substrate near a second end of the microfilament so that at least one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending electrically-conductive portions makes electrical contact to a corresponding second bond pad.

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. An annular centrifugal contactor, said contactor comprising:
a housing adapted to receive a plurality of flowing liquids;
a rotor on the interior of the housing;
an annular mixing zone defined by the housing and a vane plate, wherein the annular mixing zone has a plurality of fluid retention reservoirs with ingress apertures near the bottom of the annular mixing zone and egress apertures located above the ingress apertures of the annular mixing zone; and
an adjustable vane plate stem, wherein the stem can be raised to restrict the flow of a liquid into the rotor or lowered to increase the flow of the liquid into the rotor.
2. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the fluid retention reservoirs are a plurality of helical tubes.
3. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the opening of each reservoir has an inlet oriented tangential to the flow of the liquid within the contactor.
4. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein a plurality of baffles are disposed within each reservoir.
5. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 2, wherein a plurality of heat transfer tubes run countercurrent with the helical mixing tubes.
6. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the reservoirs are jacketed with a volume enclosing a flowing heat transfer fluid.
7. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein a plurality of baffles extend from the external surface of each of the reservoirs.
8. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the annular mixing zone is impregnated with a catalyst, reactant, adsorbent, or a combination thereof.
9. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the adjustable vane plate stem is adapted to serve as a needle valve and drain tube.
10. The annular centrifugal contactor of claim 1, wherein the adjustable vane plate stem is in mechanical communication with a mechanized assembly such that the adjustable vane plate stem is adjusted up and down using the mechanized assembly.
11. An annular mixing zone for an annular centrifugal contactor, wherein the annular mixing zone is defined by the annular centrifugal contactor’s housing and vane plate and wherein the annular mixing zone has a plurality of helical mixing tubes with ingress apertures near the bottom of the annular mixing zone and egress apertures located above the inlets of the annular mixing zone.
12. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein the annular mixing zone has between four and six helical mixing tubes, inclusive.
13. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein the annular mixing zone is a single monolithic piece, printed from a 3D printer.
14. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein the opening of each helical mixing tube has an inlet oriented tangential to the flow of the liquid within the contactor.
15. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein a plurality of baffles are disposed within each helical mixing tube.
16. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein a plurality of heat transfer tubes run countercurrent between the helical mixing tubes.
17. The annular mixing zone of claim 11, wherein the annular mixing zone is impregnated with a catalyst, reactant, adsorbent, or a combination thereof.
18. A method for performing a liquid-liquid extraction, the method comprising the steps of:
a) selecting a first liquid containing a desired constituent;
b) selecting a second liquid having a different density than the first liquid, wherein the desired constituent has a greater affinity for the second liquid than the first liquid;
c) providing a centrifugal contactor with an annular mixing zone, wherein the annular mixing zone has a plurality of helical mixing tubes with ingress apertures near the bottom of the annular mixing zone and egress apertures located above the inlets of the annular mixing zone;
d) flowing the first and second liquid into the annular mixing zone, including into the helical mixing tubes;
e) mixing the first and second liquid in the annular mixing zone using a rotor;
f) directing the first and second liquid into the interior of the rotor using a vane plate;
g) separating the first and second liquid based on their relative densities using centrifugal force on the inside of the rotor; and
h) extracting the first liquid as a first stream and the second liquid as a second stream, wherein the second stream contains at least some of the desired constituent.
19. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the vane plate has an adjustable stem that can be raised to restrict flow of the first and second liquid into the rotor and lowered to allow more flow of the first and second liquid into the rotor.
20. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein several contactors are connected in series and the first stream becomes the first liquid in an upstream contactor and the second stream becomes the second liquid in a downstream contactor and wherein the steps d through h are repeated in the upstream and downstream contactors.

1. A hand-held writing instrument comprising
a tubular barrel housing a writing mechanism and a writing tip,
said barrel having externally affixed thereto a three-dimensional metal casting extending circumferentially around said barrel and secured to said barrel during a casting process and
a heat resistant varnish or lacquer coating on said barrel capable of preventing shrinkage of said barrel during the casting process.
2. The instrument of claim 1 being a pen.
3. The instrument of claim 1 being a pencil.
4. The writing instrument of claim 1 having a retractable writing mechanism and writing tip.
5. The writing instrument of claim 1 having a fixed writing mechanism and writing tip.
6. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said barrel is made of wood.
7. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said barrel is made of plastic.
8. The writing instrument of claim 7 wherein said plastic is selected from the class comprising polycarbonates, nylon, DELRIN\xae, ABS and polyethylene.
9. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said metal is pewter.
10. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said metal is an alloy of aluminum, zinc, tin, or combination thereof, which has a sufficiently low melting temperature to permit centrifugal casting thereof.
11. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said metal casting has a plated coating thereover of a precious metal.
12. The writing instrument of claim 11 wherein said precious metal is gold.
13. The writing instrument of claim 11 wherein said precious metal is silver.
14. The writing instrument of claim 1 being a pen having a retractable writing mechanism and tip wherein said barrel is made of wood and said metal casting is pewter.
15. The writing instrument of claim 1 being a pencil having a retractable writing mechanism and tip wherein said barrel is made of wood and said metal casting is pewter.
16. The writing instrument of claim 1 being a pen having a retractable writing mechanism and tip wherein said barrel is made of plastic and said metal casting is pewter.
17. The writing instrument of claim 1 being a pencil having a retractable writing mechanism and tip wherein said barrel is made of plastic and said metal casting is pewter.

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. In a device having mechanisms for communicating with a plurality of application servers via a network, a method comprising:
transmitting an initial request via a client router to a first target server, which is identified based on information in a client routing table of the client router;
when the initial request is not acknowledged by the first target server:
dynamically modifying a target server specification of a next request by relaxing one or more constraints, which were included in the first request, within the next request; and
issuing the next request with the relaxed constraints to locate an alternate target server.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting further comprises:
selecting the first target server identified by information from the client routing table;
appending a timestamp of the client routing table to the client request;
transmitting the client request with the timestamp to the first target server;
tracking a timeout period within which a response is expected from a target server to which a client request is transmitted; and
initiating the dynamic modifying when no response is received from the target server before the timeout period expires.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein, when a response is received from one of the first target server and the alternate server, said method comprises:
replacing the client routing table with a current routing table that has a more current timestamp than the client routing table, wherein the current routing table is automatically provided from the target server in response to receipt at the target server of a the client request with a timestamp that is earlier than a current timestamp of the current routing table of the target server;
selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
forwarding the new client request to the correct target server identified within the current routing table.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying further comprises:
forwarding the next client request with relaxed constraints to an alternate server; and
when the forwarded request does not reach the alternate server:
further revising server specifications of a subsequent request by relaxing one or more of the constraints to enable contact with an arbitrary server; and
transmitting the subsequent client request to the arbitrary server.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
appending a pre-defined low timestamp value to the subsequent client request, which indicates to the arbitrary server that the arbitrary server should immediately forward to the requesting client router a current routing table, wherein the appending is initiated when there is insufficient information in the client routing table for a client request to be properly routed; and
when a response is received from the arbitrary server:
replacing the client routing table with the current routing table when the current routing table is provided in response to the client request;
selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
forwarding the new client request to the correct target server.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein when one of (a) the client request does not receive a response from any arbitrary server after relaxing all levels of constraints and (b) required metrics associated with the client requests are not met, said method further comprising at least one of:
logging all of conditions and notify a system administrator to pay attention on the system and change certain constraints and reset client parameters to enable communication with target servers on the network; and
signaling an automatic service deployment controller to adjust the server cluster deployment configuration automatically.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the client router provides server functionality, said method further comprises:
responsive to a receipt of a network-transmitted client request, checking a timestamp appended to the client request representing the timestamp of the client routing table of an originating client from which the client request originated;
downloading a current routing table to the originating client to update the client routing table of the originating client when the timestamp comprises one of the following qualities:
(a) an earlier timestamp than the timestamp of the current routing table;
(b) a timestamp that is not equivalent to the timestamp of the target server; and
(c) a timestamp with a pre-defined negative value indicating a request to automatically download a new routing table to the originating client; and

when the timestamps of the client and the target server are equivalent, granting access to the originating client in response to receipt of the client request from the originating client.
8. A router for use in communicating between a client and one or more target servers within a network, said router comprising:
means for communicatively connecting to the client and the one or more target servers;
logic for transmitting an initial request via a client router to a first target server, which is identified based on information in a client routing table of the client router;
when the initial request is not acknowledged by the first target server:
logic for dynamically modifying a target server specification of a next request by relaxing one or more constraints, which were included in the first request, within the next request; and
logic for issuing the next request with the relaxed constraints to locate an alternate target server.
9. The router of claim 8, wherein said logic for transmitting further comprises:
logic for selecting the first target server identified by information from the client routing table;
logic for appending a timestamp of the client routing table to the client request;
logic for transmitting the client request with the timestamp to the first target server;
logic for tracking a timeout period within which a response is expected from a target server to which a client request is transmitted; and
logic for initiating the dynamic modifying when no response is received from the target server before the timeout period expires.
10. The router of claim 9, wherein, when a response is received from one of the first target server and the alternate server, said router comprises:
logic for replacing the client routing table with a current routing table that has a more current timestamp than the client routing table, wherein the current routing table is automatically provided from the target server in response to receipt at the target server of a the client request with a timestamp that is earlier than a current timestamp of the current routing table of the target server;
logic for selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
logic for forwarding the new client request to the correct target server identified within the current routing table.
11. The router of claim 8, wherein said logic for modifying further comprises:
logic for forwarding the next client request with relaxed constraints to an alternate server; and
when the forwarded request does not reach the alternate server:
logic for further revising server specifications of a subsequent request by relaxing one or more of the constraints to enable contact with an arbitrary server; and
logic for transmitting the subsequent client request to the arbitrary server.
12. The router of claim 11, further comprising:
logic for appending a pre-defined low timestamp value to the subsequent client request, which indicates to the arbitrary server that the arbitrary server should immediately forward to the requesting client router a current routing table, wherein the appending is initiated when there is insufficient information in the client routing table for a client request to be properly routed; and
when a response is received from the arbitrary server:
logic for replacing the client routing table with the current routing table when the current routing table is provided in response to the client request;
logic for selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
logic for forwarding the new client request to the correct target server.
13. The router of claim 8, wherein when one of (a) the client request does not receive a response from any arbitrary server after relaxing all levels of constraints and (b) required metrics associated with the client requests are not met, said logic further comprising at least one of:
logic for logging all of conditions and notify a system administrator to pay attention on the system and change certain constraints and reset client parameters to enable communication with target servers on the network; and
logic for signaling an automatic service deployment controller to adjust the server cluster deployment configuration automatically.
14. The router of claim 8, wherein when the client router provides server functionality, said router further comprises:
logic for responsive to a receipt of a network-transmitted client request, checking a timestamp appended to the client request representing the timestamp of the client routing table of an originating client from which the client request originated;
logic for downloading a current routing table to the originating client to update the client routing table of the originating client when the timestamp comprises one of the following qualities:
(d) an earlier timestamp than the timestamp of the current routing table;
(e) a timestamp that is not equivalent to the timestamp of the target server; and
(f) a timestamp with a pre-defined negative value indicating a request to automatically download a new routing table to the originating client; and

when the timestamps of the client and the target server are equivalent, logic for granting access to the originating client in response to receipt of the client request from the originating client.
15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having program code thereon, wherein the program code executes to perform the functions of:
transmitting an initial request via a client router to a first target server, which is identified based on information in a client routing table of the client router;
when the initial request is not acknowledged by the first target server:
dynamically modifying a target server specification of a next request by relaxing one or more constraints, which were included in the first request, within the next request; and
issuing the next request with the relaxed constraints to locate an alternate target server.
16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program code for transmitting further comprises code for:
selecting the first target server identified by information from the client routing table;
appending a timestamp of the client routing table to the client request;
transmitting the client request with the timestamp to the first target server;
tracking a timeout period within which a response is expected from a target server to which a client request is transmitted; and
initiating the dynamic modifying when no response is received from the target server before the timeout period expires.
17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein, when a response is received from one of the first target server and the alternate server, said program code comprises code for:
replacing the client routing table with a current routing table that has a more current timestamp than the client routing table, wherein the current routing table is automatically provided from the target server in response to receipt at the target server of a the client request with a timestamp that is earlier than a current timestamp of the current routing table of the target server;
selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
forwarding the new client request to the correct target server identified within the current routing table.
18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program code for modifying further comprises code for:
forwarding the next client request with relaxed constraints to an alternate server;
when the forwarded request does not reach the alternate server:
further revising server specifications of a subsequent request by relaxing one or more of the constraints to enable contact with an arbitrary server; and
transmitting the subsequent client request to the arbitrary server; and

when one of (a) the client request does not receive a response from any arbitrary server after relaxing all levels of constraints and (b) required metrics associated with the client requests are not met, said program code further comprising code for performing at least one of:
logging all of conditions and notify a system administrator to pay attention on the system and change certain constraints and reset client parameters to enable communication with target servers on the network; and
signaling an automatic service deployment controller to adjust the server cluster deployment configuration automatically.
19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising program code for:
appending a pre-defined low timestamp value to the subsequent client request, which indicates to the arbitrary server that the arbitrary server should immediately forward to the requesting client router a current routing table, wherein the appending is initiated when there is insufficient information in the client routing table for a client request to be properly routed; and
when a response is received from the arbitrary server:
replacing the client routing table with the current routing table when the current routing table is provided in response to the client request;
selecting a correct target server from the current routing table and generating a new client request including the correct target server and full constraints; and
forwarding the new client request to the correct target server.
20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein when the client router provides server functionality, said program code further comprises code for:
responsive to a receipt of a network-transmitted client request, checking a timestamp appended to the client request representing the timestamp of the client routing table of an originating client from which the client request originated;
downloading a current routing table to the originating client to update the client routing table of the originating client when the timestamp comprises one of the following qualities:
(g) an earlier timestamp than the timestamp of the current routing table;
(h) a timestamp that is not equivalent to the timestamp of the target server; and
(i) a timestamp with a pre-defined negative value indicating a request to automatically download a new routing table to the originating client; and

when the timestamps of the client and the target server are equivalent, granting access to the originating client in response to receipt of the client request from the originating client.