Abstract: A method of forming an avalanche trench optical detector device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising forming a first set and a second set of trenches in the substrate, wherein trenches of the first set are alternately disposed with respect to trenches of the second set, filling the trenches with a doped sacrificial material, and annealing the device to form a multiplication region in the substrate. The method comprises etching the doped sacrificial material from the first set of trenches, filling the first set of trenches with a doped material of a first conductivity, etching the doped sacrificial material from a second set of trenches, and filling the second set of trenches with a doped material of a second conductivity. The method further comprises providing separate wiring connections to the first set of trenches and the second set of trenches.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device having a mesh-type structure of a precharge voltage line is provided. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cell arrays, a plurality of bit line precharge circuit units, and a first precharge voltage line and a second precharge voltage line. Each of the plurality of memory cell arrays include a plurality of memory cells and a plurality of bit line pairs for outputting and receiving data to and from each of the memory cells and are arranged in a matrix. The plurality of bit line precharge circuit units precharge and equalize corresponding bit line pairs of the memory cell arrays into predetermined precharge voltages. The first precharge voltage line and the second precharge voltage line are arranged in a mesh in each region between the plurality of memory cell arrays.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a device. The method provides a substrate, and provides a plurality of nanotubes in contact with the substrate. The method comprises depositing metal contacts on the substrate, wherein the metal contacts are in contact with a portion of at least one nanotube. The method further comprises selectively breaking the at least one nanotube using an electrical current, removing the metal contacts, cleaning a remaining nanotube, and depositing a first metal contact in contact with a first end of the nanotube and a second metal contact in contact with a second end of the nanotube.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a refresh operation of a memory device capable of performing an internal refresh after a power-up sequence is completed. The apparatus an apparatus for controlling a refresh operation of a memory device comprising DRAM memory cells and a SRAM interface, comprises a control circuit for outputting a control signal in a second state in response to a power-up signal during a predetermined period, the second state for disabling refresh operations, and for outputting the control signal in a first state in response to a command signal, wherein the command signal is a first active command input signal after the predetermined period, and a refresh pulse generating circuit for outputting a pulse signal for refreshing the DRAM memory cells in response to the control signal in the first state.

Abstract: A digitally controlled adaptive driver and method for sensing a capacitive load are included. The driver comprises a load sensing circuit for sensing a voltage of an output terminal of the driver connected to a load and for generating a control signal in response to the voltage of the output terminal, and a control driver for digitally determining a value of the load coupled to the output terminal in response to the control signal of the load sensing circuit and for controlling the driving current for driving an input signal in response to the value of the load.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for accessing elements from a shared resource to be used by consumers that perform actions according to corresponding operations. The method creates a packet of operations to be processed simultaneously, wherein the elements from the shared resource used by the operations are specified by source and destination identifier fields that are shared among the operations in such a way that the sum of all the elements from the shared resource used by the operations does not exceed a total number of identifiers available in the packet. The method also reads the elements from the shared resource according to the shared identifier fields specified in the packet. The method decodes a number of elements from the shared resource needed by each operation, by passing the operations to an operation decoder having a defined routing scheme based on the needs of the operations.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a MIM capacitor having a bottom electrode is provided by forming a metal wire including copper on a substrate. After the metal wire is formed on the substrate, a dielectric film is formed on the metal wire. A top electrode film is formed on the dielectric film, and then the top electrode film is etched to form a top electrode. A hard metallic polymer formed during the etching of the top electrode film is removed using a mixture of an oxygen gas and a fluorocarbon based gas. The lifting of the thin films is effectively prevented, and the yield of the manufacturing process for manufacturing a MIM capacitor is increased. Additionally, the MIM capacitor has a uniform capacitance because the damage to the dielectric film is prevented, and the oxidation of the bottom electrode is also prevented.

Abstract: A system for browsing and editing video, in accordance with the present invention, includes a video source for providing a video document which includes audio information, and an audio classifier coupled to the video source, the audio classifier being adapted to classify audio segments of the audio information into a plurality of classes. An audio spectrogram generator is coupled to the video source for generating spectrograms for the audio information to check that the audio segments have been identified correctly by the audio classifier. A browser is coupled to the audio classifier for searching the classified audio segments for editing and browsing the video document. A method for editing and browsing a video, in accordance with the invention, includes providing a video clip including audio, and segmenting and labeling the audio into music, silence and speech classes in real-time.

Abstract: The present invention involves a lighter for preventing unintended use. In one aspect, a striker wheel including a rotation limiting means is provided, where an arc formed by the rotation limiting means is preferably greater than about 100° and less than or equal to about 220°. The rotation limiting means may comprise a single or multiple protrusions, a shield extending from one or more outer grip wheels, or a cover attached to a periphery of the striking wheel.

Abstract: A mark-free computer-assisted diagnosis method and system are provided for assisting diagnosis of abnormalities in digital medical images using diagnosis based image enhancement. The method includes the steps of: receiving indicia identifying one or more regions of interest in a digital medical image; and displaying one or more enhanced views of the regions of interest, the enhanced views being based on diagnostic parameters for the regions of interest and diagnostic parameters corresponding to a particular abnormality.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the steps of: forming an insulating layer having an opening region on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first ruthenium layer on the insulating layer and the opening region by sputtering at a first pressure; forming a second ruthenium layer on the first ruthenium layer by first chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at a first flow rate of oxygen gas and at a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure; and forming a third ruthenium layer on the second ruthenium layer by second CVD at a second flow rate of oxygen gas and at a third pressure, wherein the third pressure is greater than the first pressure.

Abstract: A method of making phosphorescent fiber having phosphorescent particles composed, by weight, of 55-62.5% of strontium oxide, 35-42.5% of aluminum oxide, 1-9% of dysprosium oxide and 0.5-1.5% of europium oxide encapsulated with a wall material. The encapsulated particles are mixed and pelletized at a weight ratio of 15-25:85-75 with polymer capable of fiber formation to give a master batch, which is then compounded at a weight ratio of 30-70:70-30 with a polymer mixture, in combination with a softener and a dispersing agent. Polymer mixture consists of two polymers. One is the same polymer used to produce a master batch, the other is a polymer in the same chemical structure but different in physical properties such as melt index and tenacity. The compounded chip is melt-spun at 190-290° C. through a melt extruder. The fibers with the encapsulated phosphorescent particles exhibit such excellent physical properties as to be applicable to various textile products and show a high degree of luminescence.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for wordline voltage compensation in integrated memories is provided, where the apparatus includes an array threshold voltage (“VT”) monitor, a wordline on voltage (“Vpp”) generator in signal communication with the threshold voltage monitor for providing a wordline on voltage responsive to a change in the monitored array threshold voltage, and a wordline off voltage (“VWLL”) generator in signal communication with the threshold voltage monitor for providing a wordline off voltage responsive to a change in the monitored array threshold voltage; and where the corresponding method for compensating each of a wordline on signal and a wordline off signal in correspondence with an array threshold signal includes monitoring an array threshold signal, generating a wordline on signal responsive to the monitored array threshold signal, and generating a wordline off signal responsive to the monitored array threshold signal.

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: A system and method for determining patterns in a data sequence constructs a compatibility matrix which provides a probability between an actual occurrence of an item and an observed occurrence of that or another item between each item in the data sequence. Candidate patterns are generated. The candidate patterns include items in the data sequence. The candidate patterns are checked against the data sequence to determine a match value based on the compatibility matrix, and significant matches are determined based on candidate patterns having the match value above a threshold.

Abstract: An antenna for integration into a portable processing device, comprises an electronic display metal support frame, a first and a second radiating element extending from the support frame and a conductor for conducting a signal comprising a first component for carrying a signal to the second radiating element and a second component for grounding the conductor to the support frame.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoresist composition including a thermal acid generator and a method of forming a pattern using the same. The photoresist composition includes about 100 parts by weight of an alkali-soluble acryl copolymer, about 5-100 parts by weight of 1,2-quinonediazide compound, about 2-35 parts by weight of nitrogen-containing cross-linking agent and about 0.1-10 parts by weight of a thermal acid generator which produces an acid by heat. The photoresist composition is coated on a substrate and dried to form a photoresist layer. The photoresist layer is exposed by using a mask having a predetermined shape. Thus obtained exposed photoresist layer is developed by using an aqueous alkaline solution to form a photoresist pattern. Thus obtained photoresist pattern is heated to be cured without generating thermal reflow.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor memory device having a bit line and a metal contact stud, wherein the metal contact stud is formed on a different layer from a layer on which the bit lines are formed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gas flowmeter comprising a transmit transducer for injecting sonic energy into gas; a receive transducer for receiving the sonic energy; and a spool of pipe having a metallic pipe wall and a liner having a lower sonic impedance than the sonic impedance of the metallic pipe wall, wherein the transmit and receive transducers are mounted on the spool.