Abstract: A method of treating the surface of a rough, plastic object to produce a high gloss, textured and/or coloured finish. A rapid prototype treated according to the present method assumes the appearance of an injection molded part, without the usual high costs associated with producing the injection mold. In one embodiment, first step involves of removing the pores in the porous part, at least at the outer layers of the part, followed by a smoothening process of filling the voids between the miniature steps with a hardener to give a smooth surface, on which further post-processing may be performed.

Abstract: A transparent and flexible composite membrane produced from two immiscible polymers. The first polymer is a polymeric fibrous network with interconnecting pores. The second polymer is an elastomer with a refractive index matching the first polymer. The resultant composite membrane is a transparent interpenetrated network of polymers with an altered molecular structure, and mechanical strength superior to the parent polymers. A method of producing the new composite membrane involves dissolving the elastomer in a suitable solvent to form a diluted elastomeric solution, impregnating the polymeric membrane with the elastomer by adding the diluted elastomeric solution to the membrane to form a wet composite membrane, and then drying the wet composite membrane to form an interpenetrated membrane.

Abstract: A method of forming an underfilled semiconductor package comprises the steps of: providing a substrate (300) with raised terminal portions (305), disposing underfill compound (5) with filler (27) on the substrate (300), placing a bumped semiconductor die (40) on the substrate (300) with bumps (45) abutting upper surfaces (310) of the raised terminal portions (305), and reflowing the assembly. During the reflow process, the raised terminal portions (305) and the bumps (45) melt and displace the filler (27) in the underfill compound (5) away from between the bumps (45) and the raised terminal portions (305). This prevents the filler (27) from forming a barrier. The molten solder forms interconnects between the pads (46) and the raised terminal portions (305).

Abstract: An indicator controller (18), an optical assembly (10) having the indicator controller (10), a traffic light system that comprises at least one of the optical assembly (10) and a method for fault indication by the indicator controller (10) is disclosed. A control signal from a control signal generator (20) of the indicator controller (18) is disabled to block off current supply to a diode chain of three light emitting diodes (LEDs) of an array (12) of LEDs. Input to the control signal generator (20) has a frequency setting section that sets the control signal at a predetermined frequency. Consequently, the three LEDs are made to blink according to the predetermined frequency. The control signal is generated when the amplitude of current supply to the array (12) exceeds a threshold setting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the removal of mold flash from an IC device using a non-thermal laser ablation method. Ablation is achieved under conditions in which the mold flash is converted to plasma under short laser pulses which do not give sufficient time or energy for significant thermal processes to occur. As a result, the heat sink underneath the mold flash is prevented from heating up due to lack of heat transfer, thereby protecting the heat sink from heat damages. According to one feature of the invention, a mask is provided to protect the molded packaging of the IC device from the laser beam. The mask has at least one hole which corresponds to the heat sink of the device wherethrough the laser beam can pass. According to another feature of the invention, a large beam diameter is provided to increase the efficiency of the deflashing process.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing (122); at least one heating unit (170) disposed within and on the periphery of said housing (122), said heating unit (170) radiating substantially radially inwards to the centre of the cooking apparatus; at least one support plate (136) provided above said heating unit, said support plate (136) having an inclined surface for supporting and retaining flat dough for cooking; at least one support plate revolving means, coupled to said support plate (136), for rotating said support plate (136); and a means for maintaining the temperature of the top surface of said dough to allow equal cooking of top and bottom surfaces of said dough.

Abstract: An universal loader platform in an optical storage disc drive which can accommodate different traverse mechanisms and the method for orienting a given traverse mechanism in such a manner as to fit into the universal loader mechanism. This is accomplished by providing an internal cavity in the loader mechanism with sufficient space to accommodate traverse mechanisms and OPU's of many different sizes and shapes. The traverse mechanism is positioned within the internal cavity in a manner whereby the lateral center of the turntable coincides with the lateral center of the tray in its fully retracted position. A suitable adapter is provided to realize the proper positioning of the traverse mechanism. A suitable chuck system is designed to match the corresponding turntable, and a lifter with a suitable lifting height is provided to ensure that the turntable at its lifted position can interact with the chuck.

Abstract: A socket contact with Kelvin contact for the testing of IC devices comprising a plurality of conducting strip sets embedded across a non-conducting base. Each strip set includes two pairs of electrodes. Two pairs of electrodes are designed such that each pair functions to contact one of the two corresponding leads of an IC device. Within the pair, one electrode forms a connection between the IC lead and the tester, and the other electrode provides a Kelvin contact.

Abstract: An apparatus for wet processing of substrates in a controlled environment. It is a single-substrate processing apparatus which is capable of carrying out etching, rinsing, and drying processes all in a single apparatus and in a controlled environment. A closed processing chamber is provided for processing a substrate in a closed environment. Processing liquids and gases are introduced into the chamber and the chamber is rotated with the substrate. Temperature inside the chamber is controlled by heating the gases. Humidity is controlled by varying the proportion of water vapor. The rotation of the chamber with the substrate creates a stable environment where processing parameters are more easily controlled.

Abstract: The present echo canceller utilizes the principle that the spectrum pattern of human speech does not change much in the short run. The inputs to the present echo canceller are x(t) and y(t), y(t) representing the incoming speech signal from a far-end speaker and x(t) representing the combination of speech signal from a near-end speaker and the echo. The processed forms of the input x(t) and y(t) are processed by applying the well-known Hanning window. They are then transformed into their respective frequency domain using the well-known fast Fourier transform (FFT), and the power spectrum Px and Py are calculated where Px=|xr(f)|+|xi(f)|+&egr;*|xr(f)|*|xi(f)| and Py=|yr(f)|+|yi(f)|+&egr;*|yr(f)|*|yi(f)| where &egr; is a scaling factor which controls the amount of echo to be suppressed, and converting Px and Py to bark scales Px(b) and Py(b).

Abstract: An electrical contact for IC device (31) testing which provides good electrical contact without involving wiping action. This electrical contact comprises a first and second arm (40, 44) formed into a generally C-shaped segment and a hook segment (46) which protrudes from the C-shaped segment in a direction generally opposite the second arm (44). The first and the second is connected via a resilient neck (42). This contact can be adapted for use with an apparatus for electrically interconnecting a lead (33) of a test device to a terminal spaced at a distance from the lead.

Abstract: An off-axis optical pickup mechanism for dual-sided optical storage discs comprises an optical pickup unit (OPU) connected to an optical pipe. A baffle is provided which surrounds the OPU and a cover is provided which is placed on top of the baffle. To be able to controllably rotate the optical pipe, a first gear is attached to the pipe. The first gear is meshed with the second gear which is connected to the motor. The optical pipe comprises a top hollow tube having a top channel and a bottom tube having a bottom channel, and a main body having a main channel. Each channel terminates to a lens element. The optical pickup mechanism should be positioned in an optical storage drive such that an optical storage disc can be placed in between the two lens element of the optical pipe.

Abstract: An area array flip chip device produced using wire bonding technology. The design and process for producing such a flip chip involves stud bumps which are bonded on the substrate, to give good electrical interconnections between the chip pads and the substrate pads. This completely eliminates the limitation of not being able to have stud bump interconnections over the active area of the chip, and allows the stud bump interconnection method to be applied over the entire chip area. The design and process can also be applied to the joining of a substrate or first level packaging to the board. In this embodiment, the stud bump process acts as a replacement for the BGA process.

Abstract: A connector contact fingers of a testing rig which overcomes the co-planarity, contact and alignment difficulties in the testing procedure of integrated circuit packages. The connector comprises a tongue extension to the ends of the fingers to increase the surface area from which contact can be made with the device lead, a lever extension to the retainer along one side of the fingers to prevent deflection of the fingers, and a shoulder structure in the connector which acts as an adaptor to secure a flexible printed circuit board to the legs.

Abstract: A test handler for picking up semiconductor devices from a conveying system and placing them at testing positions and returning the tested devices to the conveying system efficiently and modularly is shown. The basic apparatus has two concentric shafts each connected at one end to a cam following assembly and at the other end to a pick and place arm. The assembly has a block with a center bore for accommodating a ball screw and a longitudinal channel for receiving a lever cum cam follower subassembly connected to one end of the concentric shafts. The cam follower assembly and the concentric shafts translate the rotational movement of the ball screw into radial movement of the pick and place arms between the conveying system and the test rig. Another pick and insertion assembly associated detachably with the pick and place arms alternately picks up semiconductor devices from the conveying system and places them in position for testing.

Abstract: Applications are created having remote data sources linked to data objects on storage media such as CD-ROMs. These data objects are linked transparently to remote sources and updated automatically. An agent--based LiveServer accepts connections from at least one LivePlayer which may be linked to the invention remotely by a direct network link or a modem dial out to the terminal server to which the LiveServer is connected. When the LivePlayer fetches a resource from the network it shall first post its universal resource locator (URL) to the LiveServer. The LiveServer scans a translation table of alternative addresses for the URL. The LiveServer returns either an original or translated URL to the LivePlayer which then uses this URL to check its local hard disk cache to determine if the resource has been fetched earlier. If no such resource exists on the local cache the LivePlayer fetches the media from the remote site via the appropriate network protocol.

Abstract: A computationally time and space efficient data structure and method and system for using the same for surface rendering. The basis for the new data structure lies in organizing a volume data set for surface rendering into a new format where the cells needed for the surface rendering can be searched and displayed more efficiently. Given a threshold t specified by the user, the present data structure is able to efficiently identify all surface cells saving valuable processing time by providing three unique beneficial characteristics. First, given a threshold t, it can directly provide all S-cells without having to check most of the 1-cells and 0-cells such that no time is wasted on visiting the intermediate nodes. Second, it facilitates significant savings in memory space where the data structure only requires N.sup.3 pointers for data storage saving memory space for all intermediate nodes, i.e. O(N.sup.3) pairs of (Min, Max).

Abstract: A paint roller with an internal reservoir for receiving and dispensing paint. The interior of the cylindrical roller communicates with the external surface via a plurality of slits running substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the shell. An applicator is laid over the external surface of the shell. Paint of the internal reservoir is dispensed evenly and automatically over the slits.

Abstract: A method and system for expanding the features and functions of a CD-ROM drive by facilitating communication between the drive and a host computer. The communication allows a user to control the basic functions, such as volume control, fast forwarding, and playing, from the hard buttons and knobs from the front panel of the drive without incurring conflict with the host computer. It can also allow an IRDA module to be attached to the drive to transfer IRDA data via the IDE/ATAPI port. A parameter and control pages are stored in the firmware of the CD-ROM drive. The parameter page provides parameters to define the input devices, and the control pages update the changes in the status of the input devices. The host computer reads the control pages at a predetermined interval and issues appropriate command based on the changes in the status.