Abstract: A card-connector is provide for the construction 3-dimensions objects with cards, such as playing cards. The card connector can include a card receiving portion and an interconnection portion. The card receiving portion can be bifurcated to define a first side portion, a second side portion, and a slot. The interconnecting portion can have at least one of a ball portion or socket portion of a ball and socket joint, where two interconnecting portion can be connected to form a ball and socket joint. Multiple card connectors can be joined together with the interconnecting portions to create 3-dimensional objects with the cards.

Abstract: A water cleaning nozzle and more specifically, a long reach water cleaning nozzle for accessing narrow and small places within a manufactured part.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing manufacturing operations using position sensing for robotic arms that efficiently and accurately finds the location of a workpiece or features on a workpiece.

Abstract: Securing an integrated circuit, including fabricating the integrated circuit so that the integrated circuit includes at least one efuse that is intended to be always blown during operation of the integrated circuit and the integrated circuit includes security circuitry capable of blowing the efuse and of performing other security related functions; blowing, by the security circuitry of the integrated circuit, the efuse when power is applied to the integrated circuit and prior to performing any other security related functions; and setting, by the security circuitry after blowing the efuse, a security state of the integrated circuit in dependence upon a sensed state of the efuse.

Abstract: Securing an integrated circuit, including fabricating the integrated circuit so that the integrated circuit includes at least one efuse that is intended to be always blown during operation of the integrated circuit and the integrated circuit includes security circuitry capable of blowing the efuse and of performing other security related functions; blowing, by the security circuitry of the integrated circuit, the efuse when power is applied to the integrated circuit and prior to performing any other security related functions; and setting, by the security circuitry after blowing the efuse, a security state of the integrated circuit in dependence upon a sensed state of the efuse.

Abstract: Securing an integrated circuit, including fabricating the integrated circuit to include a multiplicity of unblown efuses, at least one surrogate efuse that emulates a blown efuse, non-volatile data representing the blown state of the surrogate efuse, and security circuitry; and setting, by the security circuitry when power is first applied to the integrated circuit, a security state of the integrated circuit in dependence upon whether a sensed state of the surrogate efuse is equal to the blown state of the surrogate efuse.

Abstract: A method for verifying the equivalence of two representations of a stimulus pattern for testing a design is disclosed. The method includes receiving a base pattern file representing the stimulus pattern in a first file format. A derivative pattern file in a second file format is generated from the base pattern file. The derivative pattern file is parsed to create a first testing file in a third file format, and the first testing file is simulated against the design in a first simulation. Whether the first testing file passed the first simulation against the design is determined, and in response to determining that the first testing file does not pass the first simulation against the design, the base pattern file is parsed to create a second testing file in the third file format. The second testing file is simulated in a second simulation.

Abstract: Electronic component validation testing is facilitated by a method, system and program product which allows the importation of virtual signals derived from simulation verification testing of the electronic component design into electronic test equipment employed during validation testing of the actual electronic component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for protecting electronic fuse (eFuse) information. A current balancing circuit is provided that maintains a constant current demand on the eFuse voltage supply that is sufficient to blow an eFuse. Normally the constant current is applied to a semiconductor core. When an eFuse is being blown, the constant current is diverted away from the core to the eFuse and as the eFuse blows, the constant current is again dumped to the semiconductor core. Thus, a change in current due to the transient of the eFuse being blown is not detectable and the information that an eFuse has been blown is kept secure.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program are provided for sequentially determining parity of stored data. Because of the inherent instabilities that exist in most memory arrays, data corruption can be a substantial problem. Parity checking and other techniques are typically employed to counteract the problem. However, with parity checking and other techniques, there are tradeoffs. Time required to perform the parity check, for example, can cause system latencies. Therefore, to reduce latencies, a trusted register can be included into a memory system to allow for immediate access to one piece of trusted data. By being able to read one piece of trusted data, the system can overlap the parity checking and delivery of a location of data with the reading of the next location of data from the memory array. Hence, a full cycle of latency can be eliminated without the reduction of the clock frequency.