Abstract: A one-way display system includes a transparent screen and a transparent color filter. An image is emitted by the screen or projected onto the screen. The image is formed from a combination of colored lights. Instead of spanning all the wavelengths of each color, each light only spans a narrow band of the color. The color filter removes the narrow band so the image is only visible from one side of the screen. As the color filter removes only the narrow band, one can still look out and see objects on the other side of the screen minus the colors of the narrow band.

Abstract: A method of forming a lateral DMOS transistor includes performing a low energy implantation using a first dopant type and being applied to the entire device area. The dopants of the low energy implantation are blocked by the conductive gate. The method further includes performing a high energy implantation using a third dopant type and being applied to the entire device area. The dopants of the high energy implantation penetrate the conductive gate and is introduced into the entire device active area including underneath the conductive gate. After annealing, a double-diffused lightly doped drain (DLDD) region is formed from the high and low energy implantations and is used as a drift region of the lateral DMOS transistor. The DLDD region overlaps with the body region at a channel region and interacts with the dopants of the body region to adjust a threshold voltage of the lateral DMOS transistor.

Abstract: A bowling ball surface treatment apparatus is designed to uniformly abrade and polish a bowling ball. The apparatus includes a housing and a ball movement guider provided inside the housing for guiding movement of a bowling ball and confining the bowling ball within a limited surface treatment area, and a surface treatment disc arranged below the ball movement guider for supporting, rotating and revolving the bowling ball. The surface treatment disc has a disc shaft and a surface treatment element for abrading or polishing the bowling ball. The apparatus further includes a disc rotating device for rotating the surface treatment disc about a disc center axis and a disc revolving device for rotatably holding the disc shaft of the surface treatment disc and for causing the surface treatment disc to make revolving movement around a sun axis offset from the disc center axis.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a structure includes a semiconductor chip including a communication element for performing a wireless communication function where the communication element has a communication core occupying a region of the semiconductor chip, a plurality of chip pads with two of the chip pads electrically connected to the communication core; a chip carrier for carrying the semiconductor chip where the chip carrier includes a plurality of carrier pads with two of the carrier pads connected to the two chip pads; and an antenna connected to the carrier pads and electrically connected to the chip pads and to the communication core.

Abstract: A display system includes a projection screen and a projector. The projection screen includes a retarder plate between a polarizer and a transparent screen. The projector projects an image through the polarizer and the retarder plate onto the transparent screen. The image is visible from a first side of the transparent screen but invisible from a second side of the transparent screen because any light passing twice through the retarder plate is blocked by the polarizer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multiplexing ions in an MSn mass spectrometer is provided. Ion are filtered to produce a group of ions of interest, the group of ions below a space charge limit of the MSn mass spectrometer. At least a portion of the group of ions are fragmented to form a fragmented group of ions. At least a portion of the fragmented group are stored such that a plurality of portions of the fragmented group can be sequentially selected for mass spectrometry analysis. Each of the plurality of portions of the fragmented group are sequentially selected and re-fragmented prior to mass spectrometry analysis. Each of the plurality of portions of the fragmented group are analyzed, via mass spectrometry, once each of the plurality of portions of the fragmented group has been fragmented.

Abstract: A secure smart card or other secure modular memory device is plugged into (or otherwise connected to) a port of a game controller board internal to a gaming machine, where it is not accessible to a player. The smart card is programmed to detect an encrypted “challenge” message from the host CPU and output an encrypted “response.” If the host CPU determines that the response has the expected properties, then the host CPU verifies that the game program (an application program) is also is authentic, and the game can be played. The challenge/request exchange may be performed periodically to ensure the smart card is still installed. If the response is improper, then the host CPU will issue a halt command to halt play of the game.

Abstract: A cap includes a cavity for receiving the rounded tip of a nipple. The cavity narrows from an open end to a neck, and widens from the neck to a closed end. The neck forms an interference fit with the rounded tip, and the interference fit forms a sealed compartment in the cap that encloses an aperture in the rounded tip.

Abstract: A gaming machine is described wherein a player first plays a primary game, such as the spinning and stopping of mechanical or video reels displaying symbols. A plurality of progressive jackpots is displayed to the player, where the progressive jackpots are incremented at different random rates. Upon a jackpot-winning outcome of the primary game, the number of different progressive jackpots paid to the player depends on the number of credits bet by the player. The jackpots are incremented upon jackpot-incrementing symbols being displayed by the reels. In one embodiment, the jackpot above each column of symbols gets incremented upon a special symbol, such as a credit value, being displayed in that column.

Abstract: A multi-chamber processing system is described for depositing materials on multiple workpieces (wafers, display panels, or any other workpieces) at a time in a vacuum chamber. The system includes a sputtering chamber and a separate pre-clean chamber, where wafers can be transferred between the two chambers by a robotic arm without breaking a vacuum. The wafers are mounted one-by-one onto a rotating pallet in the pre-cleaning chamber and sputtering chamber. The pallet is firmly fixed to a rotatable table in the sputtering chamber. Copper tubing in the table couples RF energy to the wafers, and a liquid running through the copper tubing controls the temperature of the wafers. Multiple targets, of the same or different materials, may concurrently deposit material on the wafers as the pallet is rotating. Multiple magnets (one for each target) in the magnetron assembly in the sputtering chamber oscillate over their respective targets for uniform target erosion and uniform deposition on the wafers.

Abstract: A method determining image orientation includes determining if an image includes an orientation tag and if the tag indicates the image is rotated +90 or ?90 degrees. When the image does not include the tag or the tag does not indicate the image is rotated, the method includes determining if a face is detected in the original image and displaying the original image when a face is detected. When a face is not detected, the method includes rotating the image +90 and ?90 degrees and detecting a face in the rotated images. When a face is not detected, the method includes applying a classifier to determine the image's proper orientation. When a face is detected in one rotated image, the method includes displaying the rotated image. When a face is detected in both rotated images, the method includes applying the classifier to determine the image's proper orientation.

Abstract: In an average-current mode control type buck-boost PWM converter, a sample and hold circuit is inserted in the current loop to avoid problems associated with ripple of the average inductor current demand signal. The rippling average inductor current is generated by a differential transconductance amplifier having applied to its inputs an error signal and a signal corresponding to the instantaneous current through the inductor, where the output of the amplifier is filtered. The rippling average inductor current is sampled and held at the beginning of each switching cycle, prior to the average inductor current demand signal being compared to buck and boost sawtooth waveforms. By using the sample and hold circuit, the feedback loops are easier to stabilize, and the converter cannot switch modes during a switching cycle.

Abstract: A sensor includes at least one stationary pad with comb teeth, a hub, at least one actuator spoke coupled to a location on the hub, and at least one sensing spoke extending from the hub. The sensing spokes have comb teeth generally interdigitated with the comb teeth of the stationary pad. The location of the coupling between the actuator spoke and the hub offsets a line of action of a force on the actuator spoke from a center of rotation of the hub.

Abstract: A packaging technique is described for QFNs, DFN, and other surface mount packages that allows the sides of leads to be plated with a wettable metal prior to the lead frames being singulated from the lead frame sheet. The leads of the lead frames in the sheet are shorted together and to the body of the lead frame sheet by a sacrificial interconnect structure. Chips are mounted to the lead frames and encapsulated, leaving the bottoms of the leads exposed. The lead frame sheet is then sawed along boundaries of the lead frames but not sawed through the interconnect structure. The sawing exposes at least a portion of the sides of the leads. The leads are then electroplated while the leads are biased with a bias voltage via the interconnect structure. After the plating, the lead frame sheet is sawed completely thorough the interconnect structure to singulate the lead frames and prevent the interconnect structure from shorting the leads together.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for cartoonizing an image and incorporating the image into an animated video based upon a predefined animated story. In alternate embodiments of the invention, multiple images may be incorporated into the animated video. In further embodiments, the animated video may be output from the system in printed, hard copy.

Abstract: Upon a trigger event occurring during a main game on a video slot machine, a number of free games having a special feature are awarded to the player. For each trigger event that occurs during the free games, the lowest value symbol displayed for each free spin becomes a wild symbol or other high value symbol. The converted symbols remain converted during the entire free game session in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the converted symbols revert back to the original symbol if no further trigger event occurs in the free games. The accumulation of high value symbols over multiple spins increases the chances of the player winning an especially large award, such as a jackpot.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is a secondary game played concurrently with a conventional Keno game. In Keno, a player selects a plurality of numbers (e.g., 4-20) within an M×N grid (e.g., 8×10) of different numbers. A random number generator randomly selects a plurality of numbers (e.g., 20) in the grid. The player is then granted a first award based on matches between numbers that the player selected and the randomly selected numbers. As a secondary game played over the Keno game, for each number randomly selected, all numbers in the same row and column in the grid as the selected number are highlighted on the grid display. The player is granted a second award (e.g., free games) for each number not being in a highlighted row or column at the end of the Keno game. Variations of the secondary game are described.

Abstract: A floor isolation system includes a platform and a multidirectional spring unit. The platform has rolling supports that isolate the platform from lateral movements of a substrate. The platform further has sliding supports that (1) prevent the platform from moving freely during daily service and (2) dampen lateral movements of the platform caused by the lateral movements of the substrate. The multidirectional spring unit links the substrate and the platform to provide a spring force in any horizontal direction that limits the lateral displacements of the platform. The multidirectional spring unit includes a spring secured to the substrate, a fairlead, and a cable having one end secured to the spring and another end passing through the fairlead and secured to the platform.

Abstract: A simple antenna is connected to the RF input port on a conventional digital TV to receive video content from a plurality of video content sources wirelessly. The video content sources, such as a DVD player and cable/satellite box, may generate baseband signals in a variety of formats. The baseband signals are connected to a remote converter for converting the baseband signals to a low power RF transmission having a standard format typically received at the digital TV's RF input. The RF transmission has a range generally limited to within a home or room. The small antenna connected to the RF input of the digital TV will typically be located behind the TV so as not to be seen. The low power RF transmission is on a carrier frequency that is legally authorized by the FCC in frequency and power level.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a microchannel plate includes defining a plurality of pores extending from a top surface of a substrate to a bottom surface of the substrate where the plurality of pores has a resistive material on an outer surface that forms a first emissive layer. A second emissive layer is formed over the first emissive layer. The second emissive layer is chosen to achieve at least one of an increase in secondary electron emission efficiency and a decrease in gain degradation as a function of time. A top electrode is formed on the top surface of the substrate and a bottom electrode is formed on the bottom surface of the substrate.