Abstract: An imager has first and second photosensitive sites and an interpolator located in a semiconductor substrate. The first photosensitive site is configured to receive light having a spectral component, and the second photosensitive site is configured to measure the level of the spectral component in light received by the second photosensitive site. The interpolator is configured to estimate the level of the spectral component in the light received by the first photosensitive site based on the measurement by the second photosensitive site.

Abstract: A method that dynamically adjusts link control parameters of a communications network. The communications network includes a transmitter coupled through a first data link to a receiver. The transmitter and receiver each have at least one associated link control parameter that affects the operation of that component. According to one method, data signals are transmitted over the first data link and the transmitted data signals are captured. The values of the captured data signals are compared to expected values for those signals, and the values of the link control parameters are adjusted to successfully capture the transmitted digital signals.

Abstract: A memory device has multiple bi-directional data paths. One of the multiple bi-directional data paths is configured to transfer data at one speed. Another one of the multiple bi-directional data paths is configured to transfer data at another speed.

Abstract: Methods for providing for secure communications across data networks, including untrusted networks. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing security associations between devices on the network using a digital certificate and key exchange protocol. In one variant, the digital certificate comprises a public encryption key; the recipient of the certificate authenticates the sender using at least the signature, and then generates a cryptographic element (e.g., key), and initialization vector. The key is encrypted and sent back to the originator, where it is decrypted and used to encrypt datagrams sent between the devices. The initialization vector may be used to initialize the encryption algorithm on the receiving device.

Abstract: Methods and systems of tagging objects and reading tags coupled to objects. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems comprising a reading antenna, a tag reader coupled to the reading antenna, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag comprising a tag antenna electromagnetically coupled to the reading antenna. The RFID tag couples to an object such as the body of a living organism or a metallic article. Moreover, the tag antenna has a far-field radiation pattern in a direction away from the object that is substantially unaffected by proximity of the RFID tag to the object, and substantially unaffected by which surface of the RFID tag faces the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides backscatter interrogators, communication systems and backscatter communication methods. According to one aspect of the present invention, a backscatter interrogator includes a data path configured to communicate a data signal; a signal generator configured to generate a carrier signal; and a modulator coupled with the data path and the signal generator, the modulator being configured to spread the data signal to define a spread data signal and amplitude modulate the carrier signal using the spread data signal, the modulator being further configured to phase modulate the carrier signal.

Abstract: An A/D converter suitable for use in a system in which the signal power of noise increases with the signal power of the signal, such as an imaging system, utilizes a variable quantization system for converting analog signals into digital signals. The variable quantization is controlled so that low signal levels the quantization is similar or identical to conventional A/D converters, while the quantization level is increased at higher signal levels. Thus, higher resolution is provided at low signal levels while lower resolution is produced at high signal levels.

Abstract: An imaging device formed as a CMOS semiconductor integrated circuit having two adjacent pixels in a row connected to a common column line and a processor based system with such an imaging device. By having adjacent pixels of a row share column lines, the CMOS imager circuit eliminates half the column lines of a traditional imager allowing the fabrication of a smaller imager. The imaging device also may be fabricated to have a diagonal active area to facilitate contact of two adjacent pixels with the single column line and allow linear row select lines, reset lines and column lines.

Abstract: A non-volatile hard disk drive cache system is coupled between a processor and a hard disk drive. The cache system includes a control circuit, a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. The control circuit causes a subset of the data stored in the hard disk drive to be written to the non-volatile memory. In response to a request to read data from the hard disk drive, the control circuit first determines if the requested read data are stored in the non-volatile memory. If so, the requested read data are provided from the non-volatile memory. Otherwise, the requested read data are provided from the hard disk drive. The volatile memory is used as a write buffer and to store disk access statistics, such as the disk drive locations that are most frequently read, which are used by the control circuit to determine which data to store in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing data storage in hybrid memory devices utilizing single level and multi-level memory cells. Logical addresses can be distributed between single level and multilevel memory cells based on a frequency of write operations performed. Initial storage of data corresponding to a logical address in memory can be determined by various methods including initially writing all data to single level memory or initially writing all data to multilevel memory. Other methods permit a host to direct logical address writes to single level or multilevel memory cells based on anticipated usage.

Abstract: A method and a system for maintaining the freshness of a search engine server's database. A popularity parameter is defined, and a popularity value is assigned to each link in the search engine's database. The most popular links are selected for updating the contents stored, or associated with, the site to which the links refer. In one embodiment, popularity is' based at least in part on the search results generated by the search engine in response to user queries.

Abstract: A method for initializing a memory sub-system is provided. The method includes loading configuration registers of a plurality of memory hubs with the configuration information provided by a respective one of a plurality of embedded non-volatile memories integrated in the respective memory hub. The non-VOLATILE memory is accessed through a first configuration path from a memory controller of the memory sub-system to the non-VOLATILE memory.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses to secure data transmission in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system against eavesdropping, using multiple communication channels. In one embodiment, a method includes communicating key information and cipher text generated based on the key information, or plain text, using a plurality of different, distinct and separate communication channels connected to an RFID tag.

Abstract: The following disclosure describes several embodiments of (1) methods for wafer-level packaging of microelectronic imagers, (2) methods of forming electrically conductive interconnects in microelectronic imagers, (3) methods for forming optical devices for microelectronic imagers, and (4) microelectronic imagers that have been packaged using wafer-level packaging processes. Wafer-level packaging of microelectronic imagers is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of manufacturing microelectronic imagers because a plurality of imagers can be packaged simultaneously using highly accurate and efficient processes developed for packaging semiconductor devices. Moreover, wafer-level packaging of microelectronic imagers is expected to enhance the quality and performance of such imagers because the semiconductor fabrication processes can reliably align an optical device with an image sensor and space the optical device apart from the image sensor by a desired distance with a higher degree of precision.

Abstract: Devices such as transistors having an oxide layer that provide a depletion field in a conduction channel. A barrier layer is formed over the oxide layer. A gate electrode is formed over the barrier layer. The barrier layer and gate electrode are configured to reduce the width of the depletion field absent a voltage applied to the gate electrode.

Abstract: Annular, linear, and point contact structures are described which exhibit a greatly reduced susceptibility to process deviations caused by lithographic and deposition variations than does a conventional circular contact plug. In one embodiment, a standard conductive material such as carbon or titanium nitride is used to form the contact. In an alternative embodiment, a memory material itself is used to form the contact. These contact structures may be made by various processes, including chemical mechanical planarization and facet etching.

Abstract: A method for forming double-sided capacitors for a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric structure which supports capacitor bottom plates during wafer processing. The structure is particularly useful for supporting the bottom plates during removal of a base dielectric layer to expose the outside of the bottom plates to form a double-sided capacitor. The support structure further supports the bottom plates during formation of a cell dielectric layer, a capacitor top plate, and final supporting dielectric. An inventive structure is also described.

Abstract: A computer software system is disclosed for facilitating a user's replacement or insertion of devices in a computer server network system. The system allows a user to swap or add peripheral devices while the system is running, or in a “hot” condition, with little or no user knowledge of how the system carries out the “hot swap” or “hot add” functions. The system, which consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) and associated computer software modules, allows the user to select a desired peripheral device location within a server, and then provides the modular software structure to automatically execute a series of steps in the hot swap or hot add process. Each step is prompted by the user from the GUI, to invoke commands to instruct a network server through its operating system and hardware to suspend the appropriate device adapters, if necessary, power down the desired device slot or canister, allow the user to replace or insert a new device, and finally restart the adapters and the slot power.

Abstract: An improved wire bond is provided with the bond pads of semiconductor devices and the lead fingers of lead frames or an improved conductive lead of a TAB tape bond with the bond pad of a semiconductor device. More specifically, an improved wire bond is described wherein the bond pad on a surface of the semiconductor device comprises a layer of copper and at least one layer of metal and/or at least a barrier layer of material between the copper layer and one layer of metal on the copper layer to form a bond pad.

Abstract: A method of operating a CMOS imager is presented wherein a reset transistor source/drain of a first pixel is biased with a first voltage source, a source follower transistor of a second pixel is biased with the same first voltage source, a reset transistor source/drain of the second pixel is biased with a second voltage source, and the first voltage source is dropped to ground during a reset of the second pixel.