Abstract: A processor contains a memory and a processing unit. The memory is of a type which loses data upon reading. The processing unit has instructions of a first type and of a second type, each of which, when executed, causes the processing unit to read the data from the memory. Instructions of the first type cause the processing unit to restore the data in the memory after reading, instructions of the second type cause the processing unit not to restore the data after reading. During compilation of a program, it is determined whether a generated instruction that reads data from the location is the last instruction to do so. If so, an instruction of the second type is generated. If not, an instruction of the first type is generated.

Abstract: To improve testability of analog or mixed analog/digital circuit modules mounted on a carrier, three-way switches are placed at input and output ports of the circuit modules. The switches can operate to establish signal connections between a test bus and core circuits inside the modules. The switches can also establish signal connections between the test bus and glue circuits disposed between the modules.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of connecting components (12) to at least one carrier (11), for example by soldering or gluing. Such a method is carried out in an oven (1) through which carriers are moved. Preferably, the carrier is a flexible foil. The carrier separates the oven into an upper part (2) and a lower part (3). In both parts a hot air stream (14) is created and directed toward the carrier. Owing to the separation by the foil the hot air stream in the upper part cannot reach the lower part and vice versa. The temperature of the hot air stream in the upper part differs from that (is, for example, higher than) in the lower part. The heating elements in the upper part of the oven may all have the same high temperature (for example, 240.degree. C.) and the heating elements in the lower part may all have the same low temperature (for example, 60.degree. C.).

Abstract: An x-ray diffractometer has an x-ray detector and an x-ray source mounted on vehicles traveling along an arc-shaped track around a sample. The vehicles move independently. Alternatively, the vehicles can move independently on separate parallel tracks.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a multimedia title that is based on a multi-node structure while preferring nodes with a relatively spare visit history over nodes that have a relatively frequent visit history.For a multimedia title that is based on an information structure with a finite number of information nodes, first an entry point to the structure is presented to a user. Further, user visits as pertaining to specific nodes are logged, and a visit history of certain nodes is indicated to a user. In particular, the indicating prefers to present nodes with a relatively spare visit history over nodes that have a relatively frequent visit history.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for displacing an object, which device includes a drive device for moving the object along an axis of motion, a control unit which is coupled to the drive device, a set-point generator which is coupled to the control unit and is arranged to determine from secondary conditions a jerk set profile and set points for a plurality of sampling periods for a trajectory to be traveled and to apply the set points to the control unit per sampling period. A problem solved by the invention consists in that secondary conditions such as, for example the maximum velocity or the desired final position, can be changed during a motion along a trajectory. To this end, during the displacement along the trajectory and in response to a change of the secondary conditions, a jerk set profile and associated set points are derived in the set-point generator from the secondary conditions for the sampling periods as from a sampling period succeeding the change.

Abstract: A VLIW processor has less instruction issue slots than functional units. Operands and results for the operations specified by the instruction issue register are stored in a multiport register file. The multiport register file has numbers of read and write ports which are tied to the number of instruction issue slots rather than to the number of functional units. A write control unit controls transfer of results from functional units to the multiport register file to take into account instruction latency.

Abstract: A quantity of material is locally deposited on or removed from a substantially flat substrate of a circuit board. The quantity is inspected by carrying out a first measurement of a level of a surface of the material in a direction transversely of the substrate. At least two further measurements are performed of a further level of the substrate in said direction in at least two further locations where the material has not been deposited or removed. A reference level of the substrate is calculated by interpolation between the further measurements to a location of the first measurement. The quantity of material is inspected on the basis of a difference between the first measurement and the reference level.

Abstract: A method and device for configuring a multimedia message for presentation. A multimedia message is formatted for presentation. First a formatted choice menu is presented for various multimedia categories in parallel. Upon one or more user selections in series, to each selection a monomedium item space is offered for enabling to enter an item for to the associated monomedium into that space. After termination of all selections, the message is formatted for transfer. In particular, the choice menu has various selector spots, each associated to a respective monomedium. After entering a particular user item into the associated space, a symbolizer of that item is displayed at a predetermined position next to any remaining selector spot in the menu.

Abstract: A method of detecting an object in an examination zone is well-suited for detecting land mines buried in the soil. The mean atomic numbers of the object is different from that of the examination zone. The examination zone is irradiated by gamma radiation. The annihilation radiation thus generated is measured and evaluated. The gamma radiation, which is sufficiently strong to generate electron-positron pairs, amounts to less than 10 MeV. The radiation generated in the examination zone by the gamma radiation beam is detected by a plurality of detector elements, which are arranged in such a manner that they can always detect only a respective segment of the gamma radiation beam.

Abstract: The filament for the emission of the electrons in an X-ray tube inevitably evaporates gradually during operation of the tube. Depending on the location of the filament in the tube, the metal vapor thus released is deposited on the X-ray window of the tube. Consequently, the transmission of the X-ray tube window gradually decreases in the course of the service life of the tube. In order to counteract the deposition of filament material, an edge structure is provided on the inner side of the window; this structure comprises edges which extend perpendicularly to the window surface, and is preferably a honeycomb structure with hexagonal cells. The height of the edges is chosen so that, viewed from the filament, the edge structure forms a shadow zone for the entire X-ray window, so that the metal vapor is deposited on the structure instead of on the window.

Abstract: A unit (108) to be triggered, for example a memory, receives data under the control of Boundary Scan Test (BST) logic, via a BST chain (110). The invention utilizes a pulse circuit (202) which generates a pulse trigger for the unit (108) on the basis of a stimulus presented via the BST chain (110). This saves time, because it is no longer necessary to supply the entire pulse trigger via the BST chain and the supply of the stimulus now suffices.

Abstract: A circuit for processing a jump operation also enables handling pending interrupts or exceptions. The jump operation has an operand specifying a destination address. If an interrupt or exception is pending, a destination program counter is set to the contents of the operand. Then the program counter is set to an interrupt or exception handler address. If no interrupt or exception is pending, then the program counter is set to the destination address.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for testing, by way of the Boundary Scan Test method, carriers on which there are provided a number of ICs with BST logic and a number of ICs without BST logic. The arrangement comprises a connection module enabling the testing of such carriers also when the ICs without BST logic are fast in comparison with the neighboring BST logic.

Abstract: A very long instruction word (VLIW) architecture describes a processor comprising multiple functional units operating in parallel. A very long instruction word contains a plurality of fields or issue slots for specifying which operations are to be performed by the functional units. Execution of an operation can be inhibited by a guard value specified in the issue slot. Instructions are dispatched in such a guarded VLIW architecture by routing one of a plurality of fields issued for a common functional unit based on the guard value. Thus, an instruction word may contain a greater number of issue slots than there are functional units.

Abstract: An x-ray diffractometer has an x-ray detector and an x-ray source mounted on vehicles traveling along an arc-shaped track around a sample. The vehicles move independently. Alternatively, the vehicles can move independently on separate parallel tracks.

Abstract: An image sensor comprises an image capturing device 10 and a lens arrangement 20, 30, 40, positioned between an area to be imaged and the image capturing device 10. The lens arrangement includes at least one array 40 of spaced lens elements 42 for transmitting light from a portion of the area to be imaged to a portion of the device 10. Light emitting apparatus 46, for example electroluminescent strips, are disposed in or over the spacing between the lens elements 42. This provides a compact optical focusing and illumination system. A color imaging system may be provided using discrete colored light sources.

Abstract: A separation device for separating a first component (5a) from a row of components disposed in a supply duct (2) by means of a separation member (6) disposed after an outlet (4) of the supply duct, which separation member (6) has a recess (7) for receiving the first component (5a) of the row, which recess has side walls (8, 9) oriented in a longitudinal direction (10) of the supply duct (2) and between which a component of the row of components is engageable. In order to ensure a trouble-free separation of the components, a length of one of the side walls (8) is equal to a minimum component length (11) and a length of the other side wall is equal a maximum component length (12). When the first component (5a) has engaged the separation member (6), the separation member is moved transversely to the longitudinal direction of the supply duct (2) in a direction from the shorter side wall (8) to the longer side wall (9).

Abstract: A method for executing an iterative search for a desired record (111) in an ordered list of records (102) residing on a relatively slow background memory (214) includes a number of steps for copying the keys at relevant positions (112,114,116) into a relatively fast foreground memory (206). The method according to the invention retains a selection (230) among those keys in the foreground memory (206) for speeding-up the searching of a next desired record.

Abstract: A user interface for a full-text document retrieval computerized system comprises a display with a words window in which each query word is displayed by means of a distinctive representation uniquely associated with each displayed word. In a subsequent results window, each document header or title or representation is accompanied by an indicator which employs the same distinctive representation to directly indicate to the user the relative contributions of the individual query words to each listed document. In a preferred embodiment, the distinctive representation is integrated with an associated weight first indicator in a words window, and in the results window the distinctive representations are also integrated with an associated weight second indicator. The distinctive representation can take several forms, such as by a different color or by means of hatching or shading or by displayed icons.