Abstract: A switching power converter including a ring oscillator constructed using a plurality of series connected inverters is utilized to generate a plurality of waveforms. A selection circuit, in cooperation with an exclusive OR gate, produces an output signal from the exclusive OR gate having a duty cycle which can vary from 0 to a nearly 100% duty cycle, depending upon which waveform is selected. The output signal is utilized to control a switching power converter.

Abstract: Method or applying heat shrinkable segments of material (16) (e.g., labels or ornamental bands) to articles (25) (e.g., containers or ornaments) which have convex surfaces. The segment (16) is attached at both ends by adhesive to the convex surface (46) (or the trailing end of the segment (16) may be lapped over and adhesively attached to the leading end of the segment (16). The adhesive attachments are confined to a narrow sector, e.g., the sector of widest diameter, or a circumference of a sphere, leaving major portions of the segment (16) on either side of such narrow sector unattached. These major portions are then heat shrunk onto the convex surfaces (46).

Abstract: A rotating blade with reduced noise for use, for example, in a fan or other fluid pumping structure, is disclosed. The structure includes a housing, a hub rotatably coupled to the housing, a plurality of blades, each with an inner edge attached to the hub, and a plurality of end-pieces. Each end-piece is attached to an outer edge of a corresponding one of the blades. Each end-piece extends in the axial direction beyond the surface of the outer edge of the corresponding blade. The advantage is that less turbulence is created by the blades, resulting in reduced noise and greater efficiency.

Abstract: A delay lock loop circuit is disclosed which includes a delay block which receives the clock signal and delays the clock signal by a selected amount to generate the delayed clock signal. A phase detector receives the clock signal and the delayed clock signal, compares the phases of the two signals and generates a phase comparison signal. A lock detector receives the clock signal and the delayed clock signal, compares the timing of the two signals and generates a potential lock indication signal. A controller receives the phase comparison signal and the potential lock indication signal and provides a delay control signal to the delay block to change the selected delay amount in response to the phase comparison signal. The controller interrupts the clock signal to the delay block for a selected interval in response to the potential lock indication signal, and generates a true lock indication signal in response to the potential lock indication signal after the interruption of the clock signal to the delay block.

Abstract: A method of multiplexing multiple terminals in a distributed network includes transporting user traffic and telephony signaling information. Transporting user traffic includes converting the user traffic into ATM cells, passing the ATM cells over a wireless link to a TDM port in an ATM multiplexer wherein the ATM multiplexer includes an ATM circuit emulation service, and converting the ATM cells into user traffic. Transporting telephony signaling information includes extracting the telephony signaling information from a user interface, passing the telephony signaling information to a base station using an ATM virtual circuit, processing and aggregating a number of telephony signaling information into a single channel, and transmitting the single channel to the ATM multiplexer.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat assembly which can prevent a submarine phenomenon in a reliable manner, and which is simple in structure so as to allow a high level of flexibility in layout. A slip preventing member for preventing the vehicle occupant from slipping forward under the seat belt in case of an impact is supported by a fixed part of a seat so as to be pivotable between a retracted position and a raised position, and an actuator is interposed between a fixed part of said seat and a part of said slip preventing member. To retain the slip preventing member at its raised position even after the power of the power unit is all used up, the assembly further includes a lock mechanism for retaining said slip preventing member at said raised position.

Abstract: A method for spreading skin grafts, wherein the skin grafts are placed on an elastic membrane, after which the membrane is stretched in at least two directions substantially perpendicular to each other and the skin grafts present on the membrane are spread. A spreading means, a stretcher and a membrane to be used therewith, as well as to a method for applying skin grafts to a burn.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from water to liquid nitrogen. As heat is transferred from the water to the liquid nitrogen, the temperature of the water becomes lower and the liquid nitrogen converts to gaseous nitrogen. The cooled water and gaseous nitrogen are used by one or more semiconductor fabrication equipment in the semiconductor fabrication process. Thus, overall power consumption of the semiconductor fabrication process is lowered because water is cooled by passing the water by liquid nitrogen to convert the liquid nitrogen to gaseous nitrogen for use in the semiconductor fabrication process.

Abstract: A method for moving at least one carriage over a guide by transport mechanism, wherein the carriage, which can be moved over the guide, is connected to an engaging mechanism, which can be moved by the transport mechanism, whereupon the carriage is moved in a direction of transport over the guide by the engaging mechanism, after which the engaging mechanism is moved with respect to the carriage in a direction opposed to the direction of transport, and the engaging mechanism is disconnected from the carriage. An amusement device utilizing the above method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spindle motor with a contact arrangement which comprises a stationary base flange carrying a central spindle, a hub which is pivotably borne on the spindle by means of suitable bearings and on which at least one hand disk is arranged, and a stator-sided winding assembly fastened to the base flange by means of a winding support, with the winding assembly being arranged opposite a rotor magnet, with electric contacting of the winding assembly being accomplished by means of a terminal fitting equipped with terminal lugs to which the leads coming from the winding assembly are connected. The invention is characterized by contact pins being arranged in/on the winding support which allow direct contacting between the leads of the winding assembly and the terminal lugs of the terminal fitting.

Abstract: A reinforcement structure of pipe comprises a hard resin to be inserted into a pipe portion to be reinforced and protruded members protruded from the hard resin and having a slightly larger diameter than an inside diameter of the pipe portion, the protruded members being formed of a foaming resin material and the protruded members pressed into the pipe portion being foamed and expanded to seal between an internal surface of said pipe and an external surface of at least one of said core member.

Abstract: A lower metal plate having a strip-like opening is used in a bond pad structure having metalplugs coupling the lower metal plate to an upper metal plate. A volume of relatively rigid material filling a volume above the strip-like opening transfers stress from the upper metal plate, through the strip-like opening, and to a foundation layer upon which the lower metal plate is disposed. The bond pad structure can be fabricated using the same semiconductor processing steps used to fabricate amorphous silicon antifuse structures having metal plugs.

Abstract: A method is described for characterizing defects on a test surface of a semiconductor wafer using a confocal-microscope-based automatic defect characterization (ADC) system. The surface to be tested and a reference surface are scanned using a confocal microscope to obtain three-dimensional images of the test and reference surfaces. The test and reference images are converted into sets of geometric constructs, or “primitives,” that are used to approximate features of the images. Next, the sets of test and reference primitives are compared to determine whether the set of test primitives is different from the set of reference primitives. If such a difference a exists, then the difference data is used to generate defect parameters, which are then compared to a knowledge base of defect reference data. Based on this comparison, the ADC system characterizes the defect and estimates a degree of confidence in the characterization.

Abstract: The precharge operation of a DRAM array in a non-multiplexed address interface is controlled so that the DRAM is precharged only if there is a change in the word line address. By precharging the DRAM only when a new word line is asserted, a significant power savings may be obtained. An activity monitor compares each new word line address with the previous word line address. If the activity monitor indicates that a new word line is asserted, a timing control circuit will precharge the DRAM, including equalizing the bit lines. If the activity monitor indicates that the word line is not changed, the timing control circuit does not precharge the DRAM. The timing control circuit includes a dummy precharge circuit and initiates a dummy precharge cycle in the beginning of each new cycle for timing purposes. The timing control circuit initiates the active cycle after the dummy precharge cycle regardless of whether a new word line is asserted or not.

Abstract: Light transmitting filter elements are formed in holes etched in a covering passivation layer overlying light sensing devices formed in an integrated circuit. Filter material is spun on to the wafer to fill the etched holes. The filter material is cured and etched back below the passivation layer top surface. Subsequent filter materials transmitting different light frequencies may be similarly spun on to fill subsequently etched holes, cured, and etched back to form additional filter elements. A contiguous structure of individual filter elements may be formed.

Abstract: A symmetric memory array includes a multiplicity of repeating segments formed into rows and columns. Each segment includes a cell area formed of four segmented cell bit lines an even select area and an odd select area. The even select area is located at one end of the cell area and includes a segmented even contact bit line and two select transistors connecting the even contact bit line with the even cell bit lines of the segment. The odd select area is located at the opposite end of the cell area and includes a segmented odd contact bit line and two select transistors connecting the odd contact bit line with the odd cell bit lines of the segment. The array additionally includes one even contact connected to the even contact bit lines of two neighboring even select areas, one odd contact connected to the odd contact bit lines of two neighboring odd select areas and alternating even and odd metal lines connecting to the even and odd contacts, respectively.

Abstract: A network flow switch is provided for connecting a pool of IP routers to a cluster of IP servers sharing a single IP address without requiring translation of the IP address. Rather, all IP servers have the same IP address. The network flow switch routes packets to individual servers by writing the Data Link Layer address of the destination IP server in the destination Data Link Layer address field of the packet. However, no Data Link Layer address translation is required for packets transmitted from the IP servers to the IP routers. Since in a typical client-server environment, the number of packets sent from the server to the client is much greater than the number of packets sent from the client to the server, the Data Link Layer address translation requires very little overall processing time.