Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for identifying wireless transmitters. In one embodiment, a method for identifying a transmitter in a wireless computing network includes extracting one or more radio frequency signal characteristics from a communication from the transmitter and generating a fingerprint of the transmitter in accordance at least one of the extracted radio frequency signal characteristics.

Abstract: Digital control of frequency and/or amplitude modulation techniques of an intracavity and/or extracavity AOM (60) facilitate substantially full extinction of a laser beam (90) to prevent unwanted laser energy from impinging a workpiece (80); facilitate laser pulse amplitude stability through closed-loop control of pulse-to-pulse laser energy; facilitate beam-positioning control including, but not limited to, closed-loop control for applications such as alignment error correction, beam walk rectification, or tertiary positioning; and facilitate employment of more than one transducer on an AOM (60) to perform any of the above-listed applications.

Abstract: A signal processing circuit comprises a difference stage for receiving an input signal to be processed and a feedback signal taken from an output signal of the circuit. The difference stage generates a difference signal corresponding to the difference between the input and feedback signal. An integrator stage is coupled to the difference stage to receive the difference signal and output an integrated signal. A time continuous pulse width modulating stage is coupled to the integrator stage to receive the integrated signal and to modulate the signal with reference to a continuously varying carrier signal. A continuous time feedback path is coupled to the output of the modulating stage and an input or the difference stage. The integrator stage comprises at least two integrators to provide second or higher order integration.

Abstract: High speed removal of material from a specimen employs a beam positioner for directing a laser beam axis along various circular and spiral laser tool patterns. A preferred method of material removal entails causing relative movement between the axis of the beam and the specimen, directing the beam axis at an entry segment acceleration and along an entry trajectory to an entry position within the specimen at which laser beam pulse emissions are initiated, moving the beam axis at a circular perimeter acceleration within the specimen to remove material along a circular segment of the specimen, and setting the entry segment acceleration to less than twice the circular perimeter acceleration.

Abstract: Digital control of frequency and/or amplitude modulation techniques of an intracavity and/or extracavity AOM (60) facilitate substantially full extinction of a laser beam (90) to prevent unwanted laser energy from impinging a workpiece (80); facilitate laser pulse amplitude stability through closed-loop control of pulse-to-pulse laser energy; facilitate beam-positioning control including, but not limited to, closed-loop control for applications such as alignment error correction, beam walk rectification, or tertiary positioning; and facilitate employment of more than one transducer on an AOM (60) to perform any of the above-listed applications.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the invention implement techniques for modifying the command trajectory, the architecture of a servomechanism control system, or both, to reduce the servo error during and/or after the command trajectory. An iterative refinement procedure generates for use by the servomechanism control system a corrective input, du, which significantly reduces the error between the desired and actual servomechanism control system outputs. In one embodiment, a uniquely identified plant model is employed in the iterative refinement procedure to compute an approximate gradient that improves the performance and reliability of the refinement procedure. In another embodiment, the actual plant response is used in place of the identified model in the iterative refinement procedure. This is accomplished by time-reversing the stored error signal from a training run, before applying it to the plant to generate an update to the corrective input signal du.

Abstract: A method for planarizing a semiconductor wafer includes providing a fluid on a surface of the wafer, the fluid containing particles, and generating a field to apply a force to the particles, the force having a component that is normal to the surface such that the particles contact the surface to remove material therefrom. Alternative methods, semiconductor devices and semiconductor processing apparatuses are also disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of generating a test program structure from test requirement data. The method comprises translating the test requirement data into a form suitable for execution within a test programming environment to generate a hierarchy of sequence files based on user supplied information. The test program comprises a plurality of Test Blocks and each Test Block comprises at least one Test.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating data from a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) device over a network is described. In a preferred embodiment, the data is received from the PDA device by a network device through a short-range wireless interface. The network device determines the format of the received data and converts it to a data packet format suitable for transmission across the network.

Abstract: A web coating apparatus having a partially submerged drum in a tray of coating material. The drum rotates and transfers coating material from the tray to a web material passing over the drum. A control system carefully controls the level of the coating material in the tray using an ultrasonic fluid level sensor in combination with a programmable system that can add or remove coating material to or from the tray.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring transactional events in a supply chain. In a preferred embodiment, a computer-based system for assessing information concerning transactional events in a supply chain is provided to detect compliance and non-compliance with rules imposed by a participant in the supply chain. In the event that a rules violation is detected, a charge-back is generated to be imposed upon the party responsible for the rules violation. Transactional information may be provided to the computer-based system by any means, including manual (keyboard) entry and transmission from scanning devices (such as radio-frequency bar-code scanners and the like, and data feed from the participant's own files). In one embodiment, the invention comprises computer software provided to parties to a supply chain by a software vendor.

Abstract: A process has been developed for a post-chemical mechanical polishing cleaning/passivting step to remove slurry particles (52) and form a passivating film (64) from a portion of an interconnect material within a conductive layer (42) without attacking the interconnecting material. In one particular embodiment, a solution having a pH greater than the isoelectric point of alumina particles is exposed to the surface of an interconnect material of a conductive layer (42) to passivate a portion of the interconnect material while changing the charge of the slurry particles (52) such that they are repelled away from the surface of the substrate and removed by the cleaning solution, or other cleaning processes.

Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) a copper layer (22) begins by forming the copper layer (22). The copper layer (22) is then exposed to a slurry (24). The slurry (24) contains an oxidizing agent such as H.sub.2 O.sub.2, a carboxylate salt such as ammonium citrate, an abrasive slurry such as alumna abrasive, an optional triazole or triazole derivative, and a remaining balance of a solvent such as deionized water. The use of the slurry (24) polishes the copper layer (22) with a high rate of removal whereby pitting and corrosion of the copper layer (22) is reduced and good copper interconnect planarity is achieved. This slurry (24) has good selectivity of copper to oxide, and results in copper devices which have good electrical performance. In addition, disposal of the slurry (24) is not environmentally difficult since the slurry (24) is environmentally sound when compared to other prior art slurries.

Abstract: A shot removal system disposed immediately after a shot blast chamber for removal of shot remaining on the workpiece having a blower adapted to blow air laterally across the top surface of the workpiece, blowing air and shot perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the workpiece and a suction device disposed opposite the blower pulling large volumes of air and shot in the same direction as the blower is blowing the shot including an expansion chamber separating shot from waste debris and a return apparatus for recycling shot for re-utilization in the blast chamber.

Abstract: A shot blast device having at least one upper and at least one lower shot blast wheel disposed at angles to the direction of movement of a workpiece within a shot blast chamber, the upper shot blast wheel propelling shot downward onto the top of the workpiece and the lower shot blast wheel propelling shot upwards onto the bottom of the workpiece, the chamber having an upper deflector wall adapted to be struck by shot from the upper shot blast wheel reflected off the top of the workpiece, such shot being deflected to fall on a diverter plate disposed above the workpiece beneath the upper deflector wall, said diverter plate extending beyond the sides of the workpiece directing shot falling thereupon beyond the sides of the workpiece to a shot collection area at the bottom of the blast chamber.

Abstract: A bar and/or coil descaling device having a first chamber for entry of the workpiece therein with dual shotblast machines propelling particles thereagainst on opposite sides of the workpiece with a second chamber into which the bar is passed with dual shotblast machines therein to propel particles on opposite sides of the workpiece, with some embodiments having a shot and debris removal system for any shot or debris left on top of the workpiece, the cleaned workpiece to be then passed out of the device.

Abstract: A drum-cleaning machine having a casing with an indexing mechanism to move drums therethrough at a 45-degree angle, such indexing mechanism including wheels spinning the drums at stations between such wheels; at least one upper shotblast wheel positioned on the casing above the drum whose shotblast pattern is directed downward and is adapted to clean the bottom and sides of the drum; at least one side-mounted shotblast wheel positioned on the casing aligned with the upper shotblast wheel such side-mounted shotblast wheel's shotblast pattern being directed substantially horizontal and adapted to clean the bottom of each drum and if the drum has an open bottom, is adapted to clean the inner sides and inside of the closed end of the drum.

Abstract: A portable and collapsible playpen has two side walls supported under tension by a pair of poles bent in the form of an arch and crossing each other like an "X" midway of their length. The poles are divided into segments for ease of assembling and segments of each pole nest together inside a hub at both front and back ends of the pen.